A Widow's Poison, A Wife's Rebellion novel Chapter 896

"Make sure you're up early tomorrow! Rudolf will come to pick you up," Herbert called out after her.

"Drop dead. I'm not going to the Black Sea," Starla fired back.

Anyone who had even heard of the Black Sea knew it was a death trap. And Herbert wanted to drag her there?

Before Herbert could say another word, Starla disappeared upstairs. Staring at her retreating figure and remembering the sheer ice in her tone, Herbert felt a wave of helpless frustration wash over him.

As he walked out of the Hoggart estate, he bumped into someone.

Seymour.

Herbert narrowed his eyes. The man looked familiar, though he couldn't quite place where they had crossed paths. One thing was certain, though—this guy was not part of the Hoggart family's security detail. If he were, Herbert would have recognized him outright instead of just feeling a vague sense of familiarity.

Dismissing the thought, Herbert got straight into his car.

The second Herbert's taillights disappeared down the driveway, Seymour pulled out his phone and dialed Fairfax Yelchin.

It connected almost immediately. "Speak."

"Mr. Farley is planning to take your wife to the Black Sea."

"What?"

Fairfax's voice exploded through the receiver. The mere mention of Herbert taking Starla to the Black Sea was enough to make his blood boil.

"What the hell is he playing at?"

"He just came by to see her about Brinley Seabrook's death."

"Did he interrogate her?" Fairfax demanded.

Herbert had just pulled away from the Hoggart estate and settled back against his leather seat, lighting a fresh cigar. He knew the stubborn girl didn't trust him right now, and nothing he said was going to change her mind. Still, the memory of her freezing glare gnawed at him uncomfortably.

His phone rang. Seeing Fairfax's name, he answered.

"Brinley is dead, and now you want to drag her to the Black Sea. What the hell is your angle?" Fairfax practically spat through the speaker.

Just saying Brinley's name made Fairfax grind his teeth. He hated that the dead woman was still polluting Starla's world. He had already broken Starla's heart over Brinley once before. Now, he wanted Brinley erased from existence entirely.

Not just dead—he wanted her completely scrubbed from Starla's life, leaving no residual impact whatsoever. Yet the woman had barely taken her last breath, and Herbert was already moving to drag Starla into dangerous waters. Was Brinley still that important to him? Was he trying to drag Starla into some twisted revenge plot on the dead girl's behalf?

"Do I owe you an explanation?" Herbert fired back coldly. "Do you even have the right to ask?"

"You swore that woman wasn't your true love! Yet her sister just drops dead, and your first move is to drag Starla to the Black Sea?"

Fairfax's voice was laced with pure, unfiltered sarcasm.