A Widow's Poison, A Wife's Rebellion novel Chapter 816

Herbert didn't touch his food. He just sat there, watching her.

After a long moment, he let out a faint sigh and reached out to gently touch her hair. "Are you mad?"

Starla snapped her head to the side, completely dodging his hand.

His arm froze in mid-air.

She leveled a look at him that was so incredibly cold it went beyond mere distance—it was a freezing, bottomless void devoid of any human warmth.

"Starla," he began.

"I'm done eating."

Spotting Reba walking into the room, Starla set her silverware down and immediately stood up. She had absolutely zero desire to be in the same room as him.

Judging by how the staff treated him, Yardley had clearly given Herbert free rein of the estate, which meant she couldn't ban him from the premises. If she couldn't keep him out, she would just remove herself.

She barely took a step before his hand clamped down on her wrist. "Starla."

She instinctively tried to yank her arm away, but his grip only tightened. Their eyes met—his dark and unreadable, hers locked behind an impenetrable wall of ice.

The tension in the room skyrocketed. The staff stood frozen until Herbert finally ordered, "Everyone out."

Nobody moved.

This was Milham Isle. This estate belonged to the Hoggart family. Herbert might have permission to come and go, but he was still just a guest. At his command, all the servants simply turned and looked at Starla for approval.

Starla glared at his darkened expression. "What? Did you forget you aren't in Marina City anymore?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Starla!" Herbert's grip on her wrist tightened painfully.

She was being relentless, acting like she was ready to snap Brinley's neck with her bare hands.

"I guess I expected too much from you," Starla said, her voice dripping with disappointment. "I thought you were different from Fairfax."

Those words hit Herbert like a physical blow. His composure shattered for a second, and when he spoke, his rough voice was laced with a tight, breathless tension. "You're comparing me to Fairfax?"

"Why shouldn't I? You two were cut from the same cloth before I ever came along."

Best friends. Brothers. How could two men who were that close not share the exact same flaws?