The temptation of my brother-in-law-Chapter 88 - eighty eight

Chapter Eighty-Eight

Malachi’s POV

I loved how everything was playing out. The chaos. The shock. The complete destruction of Travis’s reputation happening in real time while I sat back and watched.

This wasn’t exactly how I’d planned it. But the result was perfect. Better than perfect. Maurice was surely getting a raise tonight.

What didn’t make sense was Sasha’s reaction. She wasn’t reacting to the evidence. She was talking about something else. Something about Alicia.

I frowned. That didn’t seem right. And Alicia’s earlier reaction didn’t add up.

But Travis’s downfall had just begun. He had become the more immediate threat to the family company. Embezzlement allegations in the business world meant downfall and sure doom.

Sophie tugged on my sleeve, pulling my attention away from the unfolding drama. Her brown eyes stared directly in to mine.

"Is Alicia going to be okay?" Her voice was small. Worried.

I looked down at her. She was too young to fully understand what was happening, but smart enough to know it was bad. That Alicia was at the center of something dangerous.

"Don’t bother worrying about it," I said, keeping my voice gentle. "Everything will be fine."

"Are you sure?"

"I’m sure. Come on, let’s get out of here. I’ll get you ice cream on the way home."

Her face brightened slightly despite the chaos around us. "Really?"

"Really. Any flavor you want."

She stood up, taking my hand. "You’re like Alicia’s bodyguard. Always protecting her."

The observation was more accurate than she knew. "Something like that."

"Will I get a bodyguard too? Like in the movies?"

I smiled despite the situation. "When you turn eighteen next year and go to university, I’ll get you the best bodyguard money can buy."

"Really? You promise?"

"I promise."

Sophie’s entire demeanor shifted. The worry fading into excitement. "I’m going to get into the best college. Oxford or Harvard or maybe MIT. Somewhere really prestigious. And then I’ll have my own bodyguard following me around campus. That’ll be so cool."

"You’re that confident about getting in?"

"I have perfect grades. And I’m really good at science. Plus Alicia says I can do anything I set my mind to." She squeezed my hand. "Do you think she’s right?"

"I think if anyone can do it, you can."

We made our way through the thinning crowd. Most guests had been ushered out by security, but small clusters remained. Gossiping. Speculating. Recording everything on their phones for social media.

This would be all over the news by morning. Travis’s downfall. The company’s reputation hanging by a thread. A destroyed wedding anniversary.

I should have felt more concerned about that. About the business implications. The stock price. The board’s reaction.

But all I felt was satisfaction. Travis was getting exactly what he deserved. I would take all he had from him. That was revenge for every foul word he’d said to my Alicia.

We reached my car and I opened the door for Sophie. She climbed in, already talking about ice cream flavors.

"Can we get the place with the waffle cones? The ones that smell like vanilla?"

"Whatever you want."

I closed her door and walked around to the driver’s side. Maurice was standing by his car a few spaces away. I gestured for him to come over.

He approached quickly. "Sir?"

"Good work tonight. The timing was perfect. Couldn’t have asked for better."

Maurice’s expression shifted. Confused. "Sir, I’m not sure what you mean."

"The financial information. Travis’s records. You released it at exactly the right moment."

"Mr. Blackwood, I didn’t release anything tonight."

I froze. "What?"

"I was about to send it out in approximately thirty minutes, as we discussed. But I never got the chance. Someone else sent it first."

The satisfaction I’d been feeling evaporated. Replaced by cold calculation. By the need to understand what had just happened.

"You didn’t send those files?"

"No, sir. I have them ready to go, but they’re still sitting in my system. Whoever released that information tonight, it wasn’t me."

My mind raced through possibilities. Who else had access to Travis’s financial records? Who else knew about the embezzlement? Who else would benefit from exposing it at this exact moment?

"The information that went out," I said carefully. "Was it the same as what you compiled?"

"I couldn’t get close enough to anyone’s phone to see the details. But from what I overheard, it sounds similar. Very similar. Almost identical to what I found."

So someone else had been investigating Travis. Had found the same evidence. Had compiled it independently.

Or had access to Maurice’s files somehow.

"Check your systems," I said. "I want to know if anyone hacked you. If anyone got into those files before tonight."

"I’ll do a full audit immediately."

"And Maurice? Find out who sent those messages. Track the source. I don’t care what it takes."

"Yes, sir." He paused. "Should I still proceed with the original plan? Or is it unnecessary now?"

I thought about it. Travis was already exposed. The damage was done. Sending out duplicate information would be redundant.

But I wanted to know who’d beaten me to it. Who else was playing this game. Who else had been planning Travis’s downfall.

"Hold off for now. Focus on finding the source."

Maurice nodded and returned to his car. I stood there for a moment, processing.

Someone else was moving pieces on this board. Someone I hadn’t accounted for. Someone who wanted Travis destroyed as much as I did.

But who? And why?

The obvious answer was Mario. He had the resources. The access. The motivation to destabilize his nephew.

But Mario was missing. Had been missing all day according to Rose. That didn’t fit the pattern of someone orchestrating a public takedown.

Zhao Wei then? Trying to sow chaos in the family? Weaken us from within?

But Zhao Wei’s style was more direct. More violent. This was subtle. Strategic. Timed perfectly to counter Sasha’s attack.

The realization hit me like cold water. Someone was protecting Alicia. Just like I was. Someone else who knew about us. But who?

"Malachi?" Sophie called from the car. "Are we getting ice cream or not?"

I pushed the thoughts aside. I’d figure this out. Track down whoever was playing shadow games with my plans.

But right now, I had a promise to keep. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝒆𝔀𝒆𝙗𝓷𝒐𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝓶

I got in the car and started driving. Found the ice cream place Sophie wanted. Let her order the biggest waffle cone they had.

While she ate, I watched the street. Looking for tails. For surveillance. For any sign of who might be watching us.

But everything looked normal. Just a regular night in Silver Lake City. No obvious threats.

We drove home in comfortable silence. Sophie focused on her ice cream. Me focused on the puzzle pieces that didn’t quite fit.

Someone had helped me tonight. Destroyed Travis at the perfect moment.

I should have been grateful. Should have been relieved that the plan worked even better than expected.

But I couldn’t shake the feeling that I’d just been outmaneuvered. That someone was playing a game I didn’t fully understand yet.

And I hated not understanding. Hated not being in control.

When we pulled up to the mansion, I saw Alicia’s car wasn’t there yet. She was probably still dealing with Pa Wood. With Layla. With the fallout of tonight’s disasters.

I wanted to go back. To be there. To make sure she was okay.

"Thanks for tonight," Sophie said as we walked inside. "Even though it got weird at the end, I had fun dancing with you."

"You’re welcome."

"Will Alicia be home soon?"

"I don’t know. Probably late."

"Okay. I’ll wait up for her. Make sure she’s alright." She started up the stairs, then paused. "Malachi? You’re really going to protect her, right? No matter what?"

"No matter what," I promised.

She smiled and continued upstairs.

I stood in the empty foyer, my mind already working through scenarios. Through possibilities. Through next moves.

Someone else was on this board. Someone I needed to identify. Someone who’d just changed the game without me knowing.

And I didn’t like surprises.

My phone buzzed. Rose.

"Tell me you know who released those files," I said without greeting.

"That’s what I was calling about. It wasn’t us. And it wasn’t any of our usual sources."

"Then who?"

"I’m still digging. But Malachi? Whoever did this had access to information even we didn’t have. Some of those financial records were buried deep. Really deep. This isn’t amateur hour."

"Keep looking. I want a name by morning."

"I’ll do my best."

I ended the call and stood there in the darkness. The mansion was quiet. Too quiet.

Somewhere out there, someone was moving pieces. Playing games. Protecting Alicia for their own reasons.

And I needed to know who. Needed to know if they were an ally or just another threat wearing a different mask.

Someone had just made a move I didn’t see coming.

That couldn’t happen again.