A Widow's Poison, A Wife's Rebellion novel Chapter 499

Later that afternoon, Starla was sipping a fragrant, fruit-infused coffee while Garret presented her with a stack of documents to sign.

“Harriet called earlier,” she mentioned casually.

“What did she have to say?”

“She’s finally realized her troubles in Yoran Country are connected to me.”

Initially, Harriet probably thought Starla’s revenge would be limited to petty acts like arson. She could never have imagined that Starla’s reach would extend so far as to cripple her entire business operation. She had been so focused on putting out the fires in Yoran Country that she had overlooked the source of the blaze: Starla and Herbert.

Or perhaps, she had simply underestimated her from the beginning. In Harriet's mind, Starla was a nuisance confined to Marina City. While Herbert had connections in Yoran Country through his partnership with Hoggart Group and Farley Group's assets, she believed his influence was nowhere near strong enough to sway political decisions.

She had been wrong. Terribly wrong. While she was desperately trying to solve her problems, Starla was systematically adding to them from afar, making them impossible to resolve.

“She must be in agony, then,” Garret remarked.

“You’d think so, but she’s still as arrogant as ever, baring her teeth.”

And Brinley had certainly inherited her mother's defiant spirit.

“In that case,” Garret reasoned, “she still hasn’t fully grasped the extent of your influence. Once she does, the agony will truly set in.”

Starla’s smile widened. “You’re right. When it finally hits her, she’ll be in agony.”

And Harriet’s suffering would be far deeper than that of Darleen or Brinley. Harriet had built her empire herself. No matter the methods she used, it was all her own work. To watch it all crumble now would be a torture unlike any other.

“Well, it has been two days since she last ate,” Garret pointed out.

“Only two days? Back when she was in the hospital, she’d go for days without eating.”

“This time is different,” Garret said. “She hasn't had a single drop of water. There was no secret eating.”

Starla chuckled. Garret was right. Brinley was an expert at playing the victim in front of an audience—”I can’t eat, I’m too heartbroken”—only to likely gorge herself the moment no one was looking.

“What is she doing?” Starla asked.

“Cleaning the pet enclosures.”