A Widow's Poison, A Wife's Rebellion novel Chapter 541

When you’re pushed to your absolute limit, the only person you still respect is the one holding you down. For everyone else, courtesy goes out the window. That was Brinley right now.

From the moment Starla began to corner the Yelchin family, Brinley had held out hope that her mother, Harriet, would save her. But she waited and waited… And now, the pressure was only getting worse.

She knew the situation in Yoran Country was beyond her control, a fact made painfully clear by Clyde's unhelpful attitude. The whole affair was spiraling, and it all led back to one person—Starla. Her reach was incredible. Brinley had never imagined she was capable of something like this.

Now, pushed to the brink and realizing even Harriet was unable to help her, Brinley’s composure finally shattered under her mother’s questioning.

“I can’t do anything! I’m completely useless right now!” she screamed into the phone, her voice laced with bitter resentment.

Harriet, hearing the fury in her daughter’s tone, lost her temper as well. “If you hadn’t done something to her, would she be coming after me this hard?”

Brinley fell silent. Harsh?

“She’s being harsh with you, too? You mean you can’t do anything about her either?”

This wasn’t the mother she knew. Her mother, during her climb to power in Marina City, had faced every kind of scoundrel imaginable and always came out on top. It was always others who were powerless against her. When had she ever been backed into a corner like this?

“What do you expect me to do?” Harriet shot back. “You know who’s backing her now. I thought Xenia was supposed to handle Herbert. Did she fail?”

At the mention of Xenia, her tone turned icy. All that talk about Xenia neutralizing Herbert, who was Starla's main support. If she had succeeded, would Starla still have this kind of backing?

“Is Herbert’s influence in Yoran Country really that strong?” Brinley wondered aloud.

Harriet paused. A cold dread settled in her stomach.

“Some guy named Kael. Apparently, he’s due to arrive in Marina City in the next day or two.”

The name Kael stunned Harriet into silence for a moment. “But isn’t he married?”

“Who knows?” Brinley sneered. “She has no morals. She’ll take anyone she can get.”

Harriet couldn't disagree. Given Starla's character, it wasn't surprising she'd accept being passed from Herbert to a man like Kael.

“This is insane! How did she get tangled up with someone from the Hoggart Group?” Harriet cried, her voice trembling with frustration and fear.

For a while now, she'd been digging into her own troubles and had unearthed whispers connecting them to Hoggart. But she couldn't figure out why, since she’d never crossed them.