The temptation of my brother-in-law-Chapter 70 - seventy

Chapter Seventy

Malachi’s POV

Alicia was better in the morning. Not completely okay, but steadier. Like crying had released some of the pressure that had been building inside her. She’d stopped apologizing, stopped trying to hide behind her walls.

I watched her during the drive home. The way she looked out the window with less tension in her shoulders. The way her breathing was calmer. She’d let me see her break, and somehow that made her stronger.

When we pulled up to the mansion, I saw Travis’s car and felt my jaw clench.

Ugh. I hated Travis. Hated what he’d become. What he’d always been, really. A broken man who broke everyone around him.

We walked inside together and found him in the living room. Drunk already. It was barely seven in the morning and he had a bottle in his hand like it was coffee.

His eyes landed on Alicia with immediate hatred. "Where the hell did you spend the night?"

She tried to walk past him. Smart. Don’t engage with a drunk who wants a fight.

But Travis stood up and pushed her. Actually put his hands on her and shoved.

I moved on instinct. Caught her before she hit the ground, my arms wrapping around her to steady her.

"You whore," Travis spat at her. "Staying out all night. Probably spreading your legs for anyone who’ll have you."

Something inside me snapped. All the control I’d been maintaining, all the careful planning, all the reasons I had to stay calm, disappeared in an instant.

I released Alicia and my fist connected with Travis’s jaw. The impact sent a shock up my arm. Satisfying. Deserved.

He stumbled back, blood already starting from his lip. Good.

"Malachi, don’t—" Alicia’s voice behind me. Worried. Scared.

But I couldn’t stop. Didn’t want to stop. Travis charged at me and I met him head on. My fists found his face, his ribs, anywhere I could reach.

"You don’t get to touch her," I growled, landing another punch. "You don’t get to talk to her like that."

Travis laughed even as blood dripped from his mouth. That bitter, self-destructive laugh. "She’s my wife. I’ll talk to her however I want."

I hit him again. Harder this time. Put all my rage into it. All the fury I’d been holding back for years.

"Stop it! Both of you!" Alicia was crying now. Trying to pull us apart.

But we were beyond stopping. This had been building for too long. All the hatred between us finally exploding.

Then Layla appeared. "What is going on here?!"

She grabbed my arm with surprising strength. I paused, breathing hard, my knuckles bleeding.

Pa Wood was right behind her, his face grave. Disappointed. "Enough. Both of you."

I stepped back slowly. Travis wiped blood from his mouth with the back of his hand.

"I’m disappointed in both of you," Pa Wood said. His voice carried that weight of authority that made even grown men feel like scolded children. "Fighting like common thugs in my house."

I knew the best thing to do was to keep shut. Let Pa Wood say his piece. Take the lecture. Move on.

But Travis couldn’t help himself. Never could.

He laughed again. That broken sound. "Disappointed? You want to know what’s disappointing? Your precious Malachi is sleeping with my wife."

The words hung in the air. Heavy. Accusatory. True.

I felt Alicia’s panic without even looking at her. Felt the fear radiating off her.

I wasn’t going to deny it. What was the point? It was true. I wanted her. Had her. Would have her again.

Maybe I should come clean right now. Burn everything down. Take Alicia and leave this toxic family behind.

But before I could speak, Pa Wood’s voice cut through the room like a whip.

"That’s enough!" He moved forward, his face dark with anger. "How dare you accuse her of such a thing? Alicia has been staying with you for almost three years. Enduring your excesses. Your drinking. Your abuse. And this is how you repay her loyalty?"

I was surprised. Pa Wood standing up for Alicia like this. He rarely defended anyone in the family with such conviction.

"You are a disgrace," Pa Wood continued, his eyes burning into Travis. "To this family. To your marriage. To yourself. You have no right to accuse anyone when you’ve done nothing but destroy everything you touch."

Travis opened his mouth to argue but Pa Wood silenced him with a look.

Then Pa Wood turned to Alicia. His expression softened. "Are you alright, my dear?"

"Yes," she said quietly. "I’m fine."

Liar. I could hear it in her voice. See it in the way she held herself too carefully.

"If you’ll excuse me," she said, her voice steady despite everything. She walked away without looking at any of us.

I watched her go. Wanted to follow. Wanted to make sure she was really okay.

But Pa Wood was still there. Still watching. And Travis was bleeding on the floor with that hateful look in his eyes.

"Malachi," Pa Wood said. "My study. Now."

"I have work to do."

"Now."

I looked at him. At the command in his eyes. Then at Travis who was smirking despite his bleeding mouth.

For every offensive word Travis had said to Alicia, I swore I’d take something from him in return. Let him count the times.

Whore. That was one.

The accusation about spreading her legs. That was two.

The claim that she was sleeping with me, said with such disgust. That was three.

Three things I’d take from Travis. Three pieces of his life I’d destroy.

But not now. Not while Pa Wood was watching.

I left without another word. Didn’t go to Pa Wood’s study. Went straight to my room instead.

Pulled out my laptop and opened the CCTV feeds. Found Alicia’s room.

She was there. Sitting on her bed. But turned away from the camera so I couldn’t see her face.

I knew she was sad though. Could tell by the way her shoulders curved. The way she held herself like she was trying to make herself smaller.

I wanted to go to her. Wanted to hold her like I had last night. Tell her everything would be okay.

But I couldn’t. Not yet. Not until I’d taken care of a few things first.

I picked up my phone and called Maurice.

"Sir?"

"I need you to do something for me."

"Of course."

"Leak information about Travis wasting company money on betting and drinking. Make sure it reaches the board members. Make it look like it came from an anonymous source inside the finance department."

There was a pause. "Are you sure, sir?"

"That’s the first strike against him. Do it."

"Understood."

"And Maurice? I need designer items delivered to Alicia. Clothes. Accessories. Everything top quality. Have them sent to her room this afternoon."

"Any specific items?"

"Whatever would make her feel valued. Beautiful. Important. You know what women like."

"I’ll take care of it."

"Good. What else do you have for me?"

Maurice’s voice changed slightly. More serious. "It seems Zhao Wei is in Silver Lake City."

I’d expected this. Had been waiting for it, actually. Zhao Wei making his move meant everything was coming to a head.

"Has he made contact with anyone?"

"Not that we can confirm yet. But his presence here isn’t coincidental."

"No, it’s not." I leaned back in my chair, thinking. "Carry out the first step in Dark City."

"The warehouse operation?"

"Yes. I want his supply chain disrupted. Make it look like a rival gang. Make sure it can’t be traced back to us."

"When?"

"Tonight. Don’t wait."

"Understood, sir. Anything else?"

"Keep eyes on Mario. I want to know every move he makes. Every person he talks to. Everything."

"Already on it."

I ended the call and looked back at the screen. Alicia still hadn’t moved. Still sat there with her back to the camera.

My phone buzzed. A text from Pa Wood.

"My study. This isn’t a request."

I ignored it. He could wait. Everything could wait.

I had things to destroy. Starting with Travis.

Three offenses. Three strikes against him. And I was just getting started.

By the time I was done, Travis would have nothing left. No money. No reputation. No position in this family.

Nothing but the bottles he loved so much.

And maybe then Alicia would finally be free of him.

Free to be mine completely.

The thought made something dark and possessive rise in my chest. Something that should have scared me but didn’t.

She was mine. She’d been mine from the moment I first saw her. And I was done pretending otherwise.

Done sharing her with a man who didn’t deserve to breathe the same air as her.

Done watching her suffer in a marriage that was killing her slowly.

I looked at the screen one more time. Willed her to turn around. To look at the camera. To somehow know I was watching. That I was planning. That I would burn this entire mansion down if it meant keeping her safe.

But she stayed turned away. Lost in whatever thoughts were consuming her.

Tomorrow, I’d make my next move. Tomorrow, I’d start the countdown to Travis’s destruction.

But tonight, I’d watch over her from here. Make sure she was safe. Make sure she knew, even if she couldn’t see me, that she wasn’t alone.

Not anymore. Never again.