A Widow's Poison, A Wife's Rebellion novel Chapter 659

When Brinley didn't make a move, the smile on Starla's face twisted into a vicious sneer. "What's wrong? Didn't you just offer to trade your life for his?"

She had practically shouted her willingness to die for the kid. Now, the opportunity was right in front of her.

Brinley stared at the pill, then up at Starla's chillingly indifferent eyes. A violent shudder ripped through her body. "You... you're trying to force me to commit suicide!"

"Force you?" Starla scoffed loudly. "Are you delusional? You were the one who just offered your life for his! I'm simply giving you the platform to honor your own word. How exactly am I forcing you?"

Brinley had always been so reckless with her promises. Whenever she was backed into a corner, she loved playing the ultimate victim. Like when she deliberately caused Starla's miscarriage. She had collapsed into Faraday's arms, sobbing hysterically, screaming, 'It's all my fault! If Starla doesn't forgive me, I'll pay for it with my own life!'

Back then, the emotional manipulation worked perfectly. By threatening to kill herself, she made Starla—the actual victim who had just lost a baby—look like the villain for not instantly forgiving her.

She loved throwing her life around as a bargaining chip when she knew people would stop her.

But now? Now Starla was calling her bluff.

"Well?" Starla taunted. "Can't follow through on your own grand declarations? You spent years crying about how you wanted to atone with your life! Back then, the Yelchins were so terrified you'd actually do it, they held you back. You never actually had the chance to follow through."

Starla leaned forward, her gaze piercing. "I'm giving you that chance right now. Put your money where your mouth is. Or is that too hard?"

Brinley sat frozen, her complexion chalky and ghostly white.

"Did you seriously think you could emotionally blackmail me?" Starla sneered. "Who do you think you are? The Yelchins treated you like royalty, and it inflated your ego so much you actually believed the entire universe would fall for your pathetic acts."

In the past, the Yelchins absolutely would have fallen for it. But that era was over. They had pampered her into believing the world revolved around her. Her mother, Harriet, used to wield immense power in Marina City, ensuring no one dared cross Brinley. It gave her the ultimate illusion of invincibility.

Now, Brinley was nothing more than a puddle of pathetic desperation on the floor.

Faced with Starla's merciless dismantling of her character, Brinley felt entirely humiliated. But she had no choice. She forced herself to swallow her pride.

"I was wrong," she whispered.