A Widow's Poison, A Wife's Rebellion novel Chapter 322

Darleen heard the demand and felt her temper flare.

“There are no empty rooms upstairs!” she snapped, making it clear Starla wasn't welcome.

Starla didn't even look up from her book. “If there aren’t any, then make room for me. Go on.”

“Yes, ma’am.” The servants continued up the stairs.

Darleen’s breath hitched in fury. “Make room? Whose room do you plan on taking?!” she sputtered. This woman acted as if she owned the place. She wanted to stay in the Yelchin family, yet this was her attitude? How could they possibly allow it?

Why hadn’t the police arrested her yet? She had killed a child, yet here she was, stirring up trouble. Yes, that’s what this was—trouble. Starla was turning their only sanctuary into a warzone.

Starla finally spoke, her voice calm and even. “I want the largest rooms. I have no idea who currently occupies them.”

“You really think you're one of us!?” Xenia sneered, her voice dripping with contempt.

At that, Starla lifted her eyes from her book, her gaze sweeping over them with a queen’s disdain. Her eyes held a new, sharp authority. A mocking smile played on her lips.

“You know, you’re right about that. After all, I’m still Fairfax’s wife. We’re not divorced.”

Darleen and Xenia flinched as if struck. The words ‘not divorced’ were like daggers twisting in their nerves.

Starla continued, her tone light and casual. “If I’m not mistaken, that last divorce agreement you drafted was meant to leave me with nothing, wasn’t it?”

She paused, letting the words sink in.

“Are you regretting not just giving me the five billion to go away?”

Darleen felt a wave of dizziness. She was regretting it. Deeply. Why hadn't she just prepared the five-billion-dollar agreement? Fairfax had refused to sign the one that left Starla destitute, and now that refusal had given Starla the leverage to storm back into their home.

Darleen watched, her vision swimming. She wished she could just pass out and escape this nightmare.

Shortly after, the two servants returned to the top of the staircase, their arms laden with belongings.

“Excuse me,” one of them called down, “where should we put these things?”

Xenia’s eyes widened in horror. One servant was holding items from her room. The other held things from Annika’s room.

Xenia shot to her feet, screaming, “How dare you touch my things! Put them back!”

Darleen swayed, on the verge of collapsing.

This was madness. Utter madness!