A Widow's Poison, A Wife's Rebellion novel Chapter 280

But now, as their gazes locked—one sharp and accusatory, the other filled with exasperation—Caden understood.

Darian jumped in, trying to defuse the situation. "Alright, alright. Brinley hasn't done anything. If that's what you want to believe, Fairfax, then fine."

He was just trying to remind them that this was a Yelchin family matter, none of their business. But Fairfax’s piercing gaze shifted to him. "And what's that supposed to mean?"

Darian froze. "I just…"

"You also think Brinley brought this on herself?"

Darian was speechless. He hadn't said anything! He was just trying to end the conversation, and now he was the target.

"I didn't say anything."

"What does it matter what you say?" Caden cut in, his voice dripping with anger. "Hasn't Brinley done enough? All her sweet-as-poison talk… just hearing her voice makes me want to puke!" He even made a gagging motion.

Fairfax's grip on his bottle tightened, his knuckles white.

Caden saw it. "What? You want to hit me for her?"

Fairfax’s breath came in ragged bursts. "She lost her husband," he ground out. "She was pregnant back then. The situation she was in…"

"That's enough, Fairfax," Darian interrupted, shoving a bottle into his hand. "Let's just drink."

Darian and Caden listened in silence. After their earlier argument, neither dared to speak, afraid of saying the wrong thing and drawing his fire again. But his words grated on them. ‘Good to her?’ If he was so good to her, why was she so desperate for a divorce? He was just deluding himself.

And blaming Herbert? Please. Herbert was the one who kept Starla out of jail, and he was probably pulling strings now to keep her safe after the baby's death.

Fairfax continued his drunken rant. "My brother is dead. He's dead, and he left Brinley and the kids behind. Brinley has depression, and now one of the babies is dead!"

"If I'd known she'd turn out like this, I never would have married her…"

His words hung in the air, but Darian and Caden knew the truth. Back then, Starla hadn't even been interested in Fairfax. He was the one who had chased her relentlessly.