A Widow's Poison, A Wife's Rebellion novel Chapter 882

That bastard. He haunted her like a lingering ghost.

"Mr. Yelchin ordered me to shadow you, starting today," Seymour said smoothly.

"Shadow me?" Starla repeated, her tone dripping with disbelief.

"Yes. Or, if you're willing to come with me to Cyrus Sea, that works too," Seymour replied, his face an impassive mask.

For years, he had only taken on the most hardcore, blood-soaked assignments. He had never been relegated to playing bodyguard for a woman, and he was secretly disgruntled about it. But an order was an order. He had even pushed back, suggesting his brother Percy take the job, but Fairfax had stubbornly insisted on him.

"Go back," Starla ordered flatly.

She had a pretty good idea of why Fairfax was doing this. Even she could feel the chaotic, dangerous undercurrents surging through Yoran Country right now. Fairfax had probably sensed them, too. But what was his endgame? Was he really sending someone to protect her, or did he have an ulterior motive?

It was glaringly obvious: right now, Starla Lansbury trusted absolutely no one.

When it came to protection, Herbert had supposedly been guarding her back in Marina City. And look how that turned out. Now Fairfax was sending someone—a man who clearly possessed lethal skills. Having someone like that at her side meant she could be outmaneuvered before she even saw it coming.

She was already stressed enough trying to escape Herbert. She didn't need Fairfax adding to the nightmare. To put it simply: she was done with Herbert, and she was done with Fairfax.

Without another word, Starla brushed past him and headed inside. But Seymour fell into step right behind her, acting as if she hadn't spoken at all.

Noticing his presence, Starla stopped and whirled around, her brows snapping together. "Why are you following me?"

"These are the boss's orders. I have to protect you at all times."

"Do I look like I need it?" she snapped.

Right now, she absolutely did not.

"You do," Seymour replied without missing a beat.

Starla glared at him in exasperation.

"Even if you are the little princess of the Hoggart family, you still need it," Seymour emphasized, his words heavy and deliberate.

"Let him stay with you. He's incredibly capable. If anything goes sideways, he can get you out safely."

Starla gripped her phone tighter. "Fairfax, I don't think you grasp the situation. Was I not clear enough before?"

Or had she not put him through enough hell back in Marina City?

"You were crystal clear," Fairfax replied calmly. "But I refuse to accept it. You are still my wife."

"Accept it or not, I don't care. You're just trying to pull the same stunt Herbert is. You have your own twisted agenda in Yoran."

A heavy silence fell over the line.

Hearing those words sent a sharp, agonizing ache through Fairfax's chest. He knew she didn't trust him, but he never imagined she would genuinely believe he was trying to exploit her.

"You think I'm using you as a pawn?" he asked, his voice low.

A pawn... While he couldn't prove it yet, Fairfax was absolutely certain that Herbert was using Starla for some grand scheme. Herbert was definitely maneuvering her to achieve his own goals.