A Widow's Poison, A Wife's Rebellion novel Chapter 902

Through the phone, the man's tone carried a hint of coaxing.

Starla remained stubbornly silent.

Sweating profusely, Rudolf leaned toward the device. "Ms. Lansbury is listening, Sir."

"You must come to the Black Sea with me right now!"

"Fairfax is also heading to the Black Sea," Starla finally spoke, her voice sharp. "You two are after the exact same thing over there, aren't you?"

Over the line, Herbert's breathing grew noticeably heavier. He obviously knew Fairfax was heading there, but hearing her lay it out so bluntly caught him off guard.

"Are you planning to use me as leverage against him?" she demanded.

"Is that what you think?"

"What else am I supposed to think? Fairfax isn't over me. You can see that clearly enough. But don't get too optimistic—he's a man who prioritizes his own interests above all else."

If Herbert thought he could drag her to the Black Sea just to hold her hostage against her ex-husband, he was dead wrong.

"It's not what you think," Herbert insisted.

"Right now, I don't want to think about anything."

Wasn't it what she thought? Between Brinley's death and Yardley's sudden endorsement of this trip, what else was she supposed to conclude?

Herbert's sudden trip to the Black Sea meant he was targeting something incredibly valuable, and Fairfax was making his move at the exact same time. It was painfully obvious they were vying for the same prize.

As for Herbert's true feelings toward her, his actions lately had been a complete mystery. Back in Marina City, everyone believed he was deeply in love with her. Even she had started to believe it. But looking back now... she had been incredibly naive. How could a man like him ever genuinely fall for her?

Given her massive, messy history with Fairfax, there was no way Herbert could truly want her.

"Let's drop this for now. Come to the airport with Rudolf immediately."

"I already told you—"

"If you're going to be this stubborn, I'll have to order my men to use force," Herbert cut in.

His tone was deceptively gentle, yet uncompromisingly ruthless.

Starla took several deep breaths, trying to rein in her fury. With a loud clatter, she threw her silverware onto her plate. Thanks to him, her appetite was completely gone.

Rudolf ended the call and looked at her. "We will be at the Black Sea for about half a month. What would you like to pack?"

The living conditions there were notoriously rough. It would be difficult to procure everyday necessities on short notice, so it was best to bring everything she needed.

Ignoring him entirely, Starla grabbed her phone and dialed Yardley. Because of Susanna Yelchin, her brother had barely been home these past few days. She wasn't entirely sure what was going on between the two of them, but Yardley had never struck her as the type to lose his head over romance...