A Widow's Poison, A Wife's Rebellion novel Chapter 257

Brinley would never have dared to call the police about the baby. She was perfectly capable of crying and playing the victim for Fairfax and Darleen, but involving the authorities was a line she wouldn't cross.

Or perhaps she would have, eventually. But right now, she was too consumed with using the child’s death as a weapon to destroy Starla in their eyes to think of something as practical as a police report.

But now, Starla had done it for her.

After a few more words with the dispatcher, Starla ended the call.

Darleen’s breathing was rapid and shallow. “You called the police? What right do you have? You’re the one who took the child, the one who killed her!”

“I have no right, I suppose,” Starla said with a light shrug. “But what can I say? You all seemed to have forgotten, so I just helped you out. It seems no good deed goes unpunished.”

That last line was enough to make Darleen feel like she was choking on her own rage. Who needed her false kindness? Her precious granddaughter, who had only been in this world for a few days, was gone forever!

Starla looked at Darleen’s furious face. “So, now you believe I’m responsible for the child’s death, and I’ve physically assaulted you today. There shouldn’t be any obstacles to my divorce from your son now, right?”

“Get out! Get out right now!” Darleen shrieked, completely unhinged. Starla was suggesting a divorce? As if she had any right to do so! If a divorce was happening, it would be the Yelchin family casting her out, not the other way around.

Starla glanced at Fairfax. Then she added quietly, “You were about to hit me, too.”

Fairfax flinched as if she'd struck him. His face, already a mask of cold fury, seemed to harden further. Her words, delivered with such icy detachment, felt like a hand reaching into his chest and squeezing his heart.

Fairfax’s gaze remained fixed on his mother, his voice dangerously low. “You. Leave. First.”

The words seemed to be forced from between his clenched teeth.

For some reason, in that moment, Fairfax knew with absolute certainty that if he let Starla walk through that door today, he would never get her back.

In reality, he hadn’t yet grasped that he had already lost her long ago. For the past six months, he had repeatedly trampled on her boundaries. And just now, he had actually tried to strike her. Even though the blow hadn't landed on her, he had swung with all his strength. If it had connected, it could have left her with a severely swollen face, or even a ruptured eardrum.

“You… you! Fairfax, how could I have given birth to a son like you!” Darleen cried, turning on her heel and storming out of the house.