A Widow's Poison, A Wife's Rebellion novel Chapter 347

Starla’s question was so sharp that it made even Fairfax turn to look at Xenia and Darleen.

“People need a motive to do things, don’t they?” Starla pressed. “What motive would I have to burn down your houses?”

Darleen and Xenia fell silent. They knew the reason better than anyone: it was because of how they had treated her in the past. But was that enough to warrant such a deep-seated hatred? Enough for her to go to such lengths to destroy their assets?

The atmosphere grew colder.

Fairfax raised an eyebrow. “That’s right. What motive would she have to burn down your houses?” His voice was quiet, but it carried an undeniable weight.

Darleen’s breath hitched in her chest from anger. Xenia didn’t dare speak.

Just as Starla was about to answer for them, Brinley, who had been silent until now, spoke up. “It’s because of me.”

Darleen and Xenia both turned to stare at her.

Fairfax’s icy gaze shifted to Brinley as well. But Brinley was looking directly at Starla. “You’re angry that Fairfax has been taking care of me. Isn’t that what you’ve been fighting about all this time? It’s all my fault. I haven’t been myself since Faraday died, and sometimes I get confused and mistake Fairfax for him. Everything is my fault.”

Brinley took all the blame upon herself.

A sharp smack echoed through the room, and the atmosphere instantly solidified into a heavy, tense silence.

Darleen looked at Starla in disbelief, utterly stunned. Xenia and Brinley were equally shocked. Even the cigarette between Fairfax’s fingers was crushed slightly as he tightened his grip.

Darleen pointed a trembling finger at Starla. “You… you…”

“The Yelchin family is the most prominent family in Marina City. A prestigious family needs to have rules,” Starla interrupted her calmly before she could spew any more vitriol. The words were the very same ones Darleen had once used on her.

Darleen froze, the familiar phrase and Starla’s mocking tone sending a chill down her spine. It was one thing for her to say those things to an orphan like Starla, but for Starla to throw them back in her face? What right did she have to say such things? When she entered the Yelchin family, she was supposed to follow their rules!