A Widow's Poison, A Wife's Rebellion novel Chapter 41

Fairfax's breath grew unsteady, his grip tightening on Starla's wrist. "You know perfectly well what Herbert is to me."

"And why should I care what he is to you?" Starla shot back, unflinching.

"The moment you sign those divorce papers," she continued, her voice sharp, "he and I will both be single. Anything that happens between us will be perfectly legitimate. You, on the other hand… if you divorce me and get with Brinley, you two won't be so lucky."

Before, when her marriage to Fairfax wasn't public, people might have found it reasonable for Brinley to marry her deceased husband's brother. But things were different now. Everyone knew Fairfax had been entangled with Brinley throughout his marriage. If they got together now, they would be forever branded by the scandal.

"Isn't that right?" Starla added, her tone dripping with irony.

The air fell silent. Fairfax’s gaze turned colder, his voice strained when he finally spoke. "When did it start? You have feelings for him?"

He was talking about Herbert.

"There's nothing between us," Starla said flatly. "I'm simply stating a fact about my life after the divorce."

Herbert was a man of few words. Her most vivid impression of him was an aura of chilling danger, especially his eyes—to meet his gaze felt like being pulled into a deep, dark void. He was clearly not a man to be trifled with, and the last thing Starla wanted was to make an enemy of him after divorcing Fairfax.

"Let me tell you, this divorce isn't happening. You're coming home with me!" Fairfax snarled.

He started to drag her toward his car, but after only two steps, a strong, broad hand clamped down on his wrist. It was Garret.

The scene was on the verge of exploding. Fairfax glared at Garret. The man was taller, but it did nothing to diminish the sheer force of Fairfax's presence.

Gabriel paused. Had he been? In some ways, yes. Whenever Fairfax traveled for work, he always brought back gifts for Starla. But now...

Gabriel chose his words carefully. "Perhaps it's the matter with Brinley. It's always been a difficult issue for her."

"Do you have someone watching her?"

"Yes, sir," Gabriel confirmed. The moment Starla left, he had dispatched men to follow her.

Fairfax's hands clenched into fists. "I want to see exactly where she's hiding."

An image of the foreign man flashed in his mind. He was sure he’d seen him with Herbert before. He had to be one of Herbert's men.