A Widow's Poison, A Wife's Rebellion novel Chapter 39

Brinley's hospital room was filled with visitors. She had given the Yelchin family twins, a boy and a girl, so even the family matriarch, Annika, and Brinley's father-in-law, Harley Yelchin, had come to see them.

When Darleen returned to the room, Harley and Annika had already left, leaving only her younger daughters, Susanna and Xenia. The entire Yelchin family was operating under the belief that Brinley's grief had caused a severe depression, making her confuse Fairfax with her late husband, Faraday.

Darleen walked in to hear her daughter, Xenia, comforting Brinley. "Don't you worry, Faraday's heart belongs to you and you alone. He just had to take care of some work. He's not going anywhere."

"Really?" Brinley asked through her tears.

"Of course," Xenia nodded. "The most important thing for you right now is to rest and recover."

"But why is Starla doing this to me?" Brinley sobbed. "What did I ever do to make her treat me this way?"

The mention of Starla's name instantly soured the mood. Ever since she had married into the family, Annika's disapproval had set the tone, and most of the family looked down on her. Xenia and Darleen, in particular, followed Annika's lead.

"Don't worry," Xenia said, squeezing Brinley's hand. "I'll make her issue a public apology to you later."

Starla had some nerve. Did the Yelchins raise her for three years just for her to turn on them? Xenia had always been close with Brinley, and seeing the news reports that day had made her want to tear Starla to pieces.

The women spent some time comforting Brinley with soothing words until she finally drifted off to sleep.

Once she was asleep, Xenia and Darleen stepped outside the room.

"Mom, Grandma saw the bruises on Brinley's face. She was furious. She said that woman can no longer stay in the Yelchin family."

'That woman' was, of course, Starla.

"I think that's your wife," Gabriel said, staring at a spot in the distance.

Fairfax followed his gaze. Even though he could only see her back, he recognized her instantly. And next to her was a towering figure, nearly a head taller than she was, with a shock of blond hair. The man from Yoran Country.

Fairfax threw his door open to get out, but a chorus of horns blared from behind as cars in the next lane began to speed past.

"Sir, you can't get out here!"

"Then pull over up ahead."

"Yes, sir," Gabriel nodded. He drove through the intersection and quickly found a spot to pull over. But when Fairfax looked back, the spot where he had seen Starla was empty.