A Widow's Poison, A Wife's Rebellion novel Chapter 863

Starla and Herbert were officially at war.

On any other matter, she might have backed down, but when it came to Brinley... no chance. Herbert's relentless pushback had completely drained her patience. At this point, she simply didn't care anymore.

She had felt this exact way when Fairfax defended Brinley, and now she felt the same cold detachment toward Herbert. She might look gentle, but she was ruthlessly vindictive. Nobody was going to stop her from settling her score. Nobody could use any excuse—especially the excuse of 'feelings'—to stand in her way.

She hadn't let her years of love for Fairfax stop her. Why would she stop for Herbert?

They hadn't even started anything real, so there wasn't even a relationship to 'end'.

...

Meanwhile, at Fairfax's headquarters.

When Percy relayed the latest news about Starla violently clashing with Herbert, Fairfax wasn't surprised in the slightest.

After his last meeting with Starla, he had immediately flown back to the Cyrus Sea. During his trip to Yoran Country, visiting her had been his final stop. He had handled all his other business first. But before leaving, he made sure to have his people keep a close eye on Starla, Herbert, and the Hoggart family.

Even before he went to Yoran Country, Fairfax had been suspicious of her return to the Hoggarts. And then there was Herbert—paying such a massive price just to follow Starla all the way there.

What kind of man was Herbert Farley? Even though a certain woman had lived silently in Fairfax's memory for years, he never took Herbert for someone heavily ruled by sentimentality. Yet, the way Herbert was acting around Starla... it went beyond just caring.

It was as if Herbert wanted to lay the entire world at Starla's feet and give her everything he owned. But was Herbert really that kind of guy?

Fairfax didn't think so.

He regretted everything. Why hadn't he trusted Starla earlier? If he had believed her from the start—that Brinley had intentionally hit her with a car during her first pregnancy—maybe they wouldn't have lost their second baby either.

Why had he blindly believed Brinley? Just because she was his sister-in-law?

Remembering all the trauma he had inflicted on Starla, and the way her eyes had filled with deeper disappointment each time she looked at him... until finally, those eyes held nothing but sheer despair.

Even with so much time passed, those fragmented memories still choked him with endless regret.

Despite the deep, years-long love they had shared, Starla refused to compromise or forgive when it came to Brinley. So what made Herbert think he would be the exception?

Well, fine. Starla's unyielding fury had now shifted fully onto Herbert. Fairfax was glad to see it.