The temptation of my brother-in-law-Chapter 93 - ninety three

Chapter Ninety-Three

Alicia’s POV

I’d been bored all day. Staying in my room like a prisoner. Too scared to face anyone. Too overwhelmed by everything that had happened. Time was moving too fast.

Head of family affairs and social relations. The title kept running through my mind. I still couldn’t quite believe Pa Wood had given me that position. Me. The outsider. The girl who’d married into this family three years ago and still felt like she didn’t belong.

And then Malachi was given Travis’ position. I could already imagine Travis banging his head against the wall. Probably planning revenge.

I lay on my bed staring at the ceiling, my mind spinning with possibilities and fears.

What would have happened if all the guests had seen the pictures I was sent? The images of me and Malachi together. Kissing. Touching. Looking at each other like lovers instead of family members.

I imagined the havoc that alone would have wrecked. The scandal would have been immediate and devastating. Not just whispers but full-blown condemnation. The wife of the eldest son caught in an affair with her husband’s brother. It was the kind of story that would have destroyed any credibility I had. Any chance of being taken seriously in this family.

Travis’s embezzlement was an unexpected turn. I wasn’t oblivious to his activities. But the fact no one else noticed was concerning.

My husband was a lost cause. Calling him that makes my tummy turn. But that was the bitter truth.

He was a monster. A liar. A manipulator. A...narcissist.

He deserves all of hell and more.

My blood boiled. Some part of me wanted to see him break. See him burn. See his suffer every single thing I had endured from him over the years.

But someone had sent those pictures. Someone had compiled evidence of Malachi and me. Had documented our relationship carefully and deliberately.

I needed to find out who. Needed to know if they had more. If they were planning to use it against me later.

Sasha was the obvious suspect. She’d announced she wanted to make a speech right before the messages went out. But had she actually been the one to send them? Or had someone else used her moment as cover?

My mind kept circling back to the same questions. Who knew about us? Who had been watching? Who had the resources and motivation to expose us?

Too many questions made my head bang in pain.

It didn’t seem like Sasha knew what the pictures would be about.

Just as I was thinking about it, my phone buzzed on the nightstand.

The sound made me shiver. Unexpected. Intrusive. Like whoever had been watching us was reaching out again.

I grabbed the phone, my heart racing.

Sophie. It was Sophie calling.

I answered immediately. "Sophie? What’s wrong?"

Sobbing. She was sobbing so hard she could barely breathe.

"Sophie, calm down. Tell me what happened."

"Can you... can you come pick me up from school?" Her voice was shaking. Broken. "Please, Alicia. I need you."

My stomach dropped. "Of course. I’m coming right now. Are you hurt?"

"Just please come."

She hung up before I could ask more questions.

I was already moving. Grabbed my purse. My keys. Didn’t bother changing out of my casual clothes or fixing my hair. Just ran.

I rushed all the way to the school, my mind conjuring terrible scenarios. An accident. Bullying. Something worse. Sophie never called crying like that. Never asked to be picked up early.

The drive felt like it took hours even though it was only fifteen minutes. My hands were shaking on the steering wheel. My heart pounding against my ribs.

When I finally pulled into the school parking lot, I practically ran to the main office.

"I’m here for Sophie Fonell," I told the secretary. "She called me. Where is she?"

"In the principal’s office. Go right in."

I didn’t wait for permission. Just pushed through the door.

Sophie was sitting in one of the chairs across from Principal Chen’s desk. Her face was red and swollen from crying. Her knuckles were scraped and bleeding. There was a small cut on her cheek.

I rushed to her immediately. "Sophie, what happened? Are you okay?"

She threw herself into my arms and started crying harder. I held her tight, looking over her head at Principal Chen. I could feel warm liquid dripping onto my shirt and soaking.

He was the same young man I’d met when enrolling Sophie. The one who’d been so understanding about her needing special care. But right now, his expression was serious. Concerned.

"Ms. Blackwood," he said. "Please, sit down. We need to discuss what happened."

I guided Sophie into the chair next to me but kept my arm around her. "Tell me everything."

Principal Chen sighed. Looked uncomfortable. "There was an incident during lunch period. Sophie broke another student’s nose."

My eyes widened. "She what?"

Sophie was never violent. I’d never seen her be.

....fuck it! I wasn’t even there for her during her childhood.

"He tried to touch me," Sophie said through her tears. "He kept following me around. Saying things. And then at lunch, he cornered me and tried to put his hand up my skirt and I just... I just reacted."

My blood ran cold. Then boiling hot. Someone had tried to touch my sister. Some boy had cornered her and violated her personal space. That was unacceptable!

"Who is this boy?" I asked, my voice deadly calm.

"David Martinez. He’s seventeen." Principal Chen pulled out a file. "This isn’t the first complaint we’ve had about his behavior, but this is the most serious incident." 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞

Sophie was trembling against me. I could feel every shake. Every sob.

She was seventeen. A scared seventeen-year-old girl with past trauma. With a history of our father’s abuse. With memories of violence and fear that I’d tried so hard to help her overcome.

And now some boy had triggered all of that. Had made her feel unsafe in what should have been a safe place.

"Where is he now?" I asked. Tone flat.

"In the hospital. Sophie’s punch broke his nose quite badly. He needed medical attention." Principal Chen looked at Sophie with something almost like approval. "She has quite a right hook."

"I didn’t mean to hit him that hard," Sophie whispered. "I just wanted him to stop. To get away from me."

"You did nothing wrong," I told her firmly. "Nothing. You defended yourself. That’s what I taught you to do."

"There will be consequences, of course," Principal Chen said. "Fighting is against school policy regardless of circumstances."

"He assaulted her," I said sharply. "That’s not fighting. That’s self-defense."

"I understand. And David will face much more serious consequences. He’s being expelled. The school is also considering pressing charges for sexual assault." Principal Chen’s expression softened. "But for Sophie’s wellbeing, I think it’s best if she takes the week off school. Gives everyone time to cool down. Gives her time to process what happened."

A week off. That meant Sophie would be home during all the preparations for the family trip. Would be there when we left.

"And when she comes back?" I asked.

"She’ll have access to our counselor. We’ll make sure she feels safe. And we’ll make absolutely certain that David Martinez never comes near her again."

"What about the boy?" I asked. "You said he’s undergoing treatment?"

"Yes. He’s at Silver Lake Memorial. His parents have been notified. He’ll likely need surgery to properly reset his nose." Principal Chen looked at me seriously. "Mrs. Blackwood, I want you to know that we take these matters very seriously. David’s behavior was completely unacceptable. Sophie’s response was understandable given the circumstances."

I nodded, still holding Sophie close. "Can we go now?"

"Yes. I’ll email you the details about her return to school. And please, if Sophie needs anything, additional counseling or accommodations, just let me know."

I helped Sophie stand. She was still shaking. Still crying quietly.

We walked out of the office together. Through the hallways where students stared. Into the parking lot where the afternoon sun felt too bright.

When we got to the car, Sophie finally spoke. "I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to cause trouble."

"You didn’t cause trouble. He did." I cupped her face in my hands. "Look at me, Sophie. You did exactly what you should have done. You protected yourself. I’m proud of you."

"Really?"

"Really. You were so brave." I pulled her into another hug. "And I promise, no one will ever make you feel unsafe like that again."

We got in the car and I started driving home. Sophie was quiet now. Exhausted from crying. From the adrenaline crash.

My mind was already working. Already planning. This boy, David Martinez. He’d hurt my sister. Made her feel unsafe. Triggered her trauma.

And he was going to pay for that. Not just through school consequences or hospital bills.

I’d make sure of it.