The temptation of my brother-in-law-Chapter 128 - One Hundred and Twenty-Eight

Chapter One Hundred and Twenty-Eight

Malachi’s POV

I sat in my office. Phone pressed to my ear. Listening to Ross give his report.

"The boutique confirmed the purchase. Victoria Chen. Five years ago. Custom order. High-end silk. Embroidered initials. V.C."

"And you found her?"

"I did. She’s David Chen’s mother. The engineer who died. She lives in a modest apartment on the east side."

Interesting. The dead engineer’s mother had bought an expensive custom scarf. And that scarf had ended up at Emily’s grave.

"I want to talk to her," I said. "Set it up."

"Already did. She’s available this afternoon. Two o’clock."

"Good. I’ll meet you there."

I hung up. Texted Rose immediately.

Need you for a meeting. Chen residence. Two o’clock. Bring recording equipment.

Her response came within seconds.

On it.

Rose was one of the few people I trusted completely. She handled things others couldn’t. Things that required discretion. Sometimes violence. She was a friend. But more than that, she was loyal. Capable. Dangerous when she needed to be.

At exactly two o’clock, I pulled up to Victoria Chen’s building. Ross was already there. Waiting in his car. Rose pulled up moments later. Got out with a small bag. Professional. Efficient.

We went up together. Knocked on Mrs. Chen’s door.

She answered. Small woman. Late fifties. Tired eyes. The kind of exhaustion that came from grief. From loss.

"Mrs. Chen? I’m Malachi Blackwood. Thank you for agreeing to speak with me."

She stepped back. Let us in. Her apartment was clean. Simple. Photos on every surface. Her husband. Her son. A life captured in frames.

"I know who you are," she said. Her voice was flat. Empty. "My son works for your company. Worked. Before he died."

"I’m very sorry for your loss. Your husband was a talented engineer. We’re investigating what happened. Making sure his family is taken care of."

"Investigating? Your company says it was an equipment malfunction. That my husband made a mistake."

"That’s the official report. But I want to make sure it’s accurate. That’s why I’m here."

She sat down. Gestured for us to do the same. Rose positioned herself by the window. Subtle. Watching. Recording everything with the small device she’d set up.

"What do you want to know?" Mrs. Chen asked.

"I want to know about this." Ross pulled out the scarf. Carefully preserved in plastic. "Do you recognize it?"

Her face changed. Confusion replaced the grief. "That’s mine. Or it was. I lost it months ago. At the market. Where did you find it?"

"At a cemetery. Near a grave that’s been visited regularly. Do you visit cemeteries, Mrs. Chen?"

"Sometimes. To see my parents. But not recently. I’ve been too. Too sad."

"What about Emily Blackwood’s grave? Have you ever visited there?"

"Emily Blackwood?" She looked genuinely confused. "I don’t know who that is."

I watched her face carefully. Looking for signs of deception. Nervousness. Anything that would indicate she was lying.

I saw nothing. Just honest confusion.

"She was part of my family. She died several years ago. Someone has been leaving flowers at her grave regularly. We found your scarf there."

"I don’t understand. I’ve never been to that grave. I don’t know anyone named Emily."

Ross leaned forward. "You’re sure? You’ve never heard the name?"

"I’m sure. I’m sorry about your loss. But I didn’t know her. And I didn’t leave my scarf at her grave."

"You said you lost it at the market?" Rose asked from her position by the window. Her voice was calm. Professional.

"Yes. The farmers market downtown. I set it down while I was looking at produce. When I went back for it, it was gone. I assumed someone took it."

Dead end. The scarf was hers. But she hadn’t been to Emily’s grave. Hadn’t known Emily at all.

Someone had found or taken the scarf. Used it. Left it at the grave.

"Mrs. Chen," I said. "Your son. David. He’s been making accusations. Saying the company is responsible for his father’s death."

Her expression hardened. "My son is angry. Grieving. He doesn’t know what he’s saying."

"So you don’t believe the company is responsible?"

"I don’t know what I believe. My husband is dead. The official report says it was his fault. But my husband was careful. Meticulous. He didn’t make mistakes."

"Which means?"

"Which means maybe someone wanted him dead. Maybe someone caused that malfunction deliberately."

"Why would someone do that?"

"I don’t know. But my husband. He knew things. Things about the company. Things about the past."

My pulse quickened. "What kind of things?"

"He never told me details. Said it was safer if I didn’t know. But he was worried. In the weeks before he died. Said he’d discovered something. Something that could hurt powerful people."

"What people?"

"He didn’t say. Just said if anything happened to him. I should be careful. Should protect our son."

"Did he leave anything? Documents? Evidence?"

"Not that I know of. If he did, I never found it." 𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢

I glanced at Rose. She gave a subtle nod. Everything was being recorded.

"Mrs. Chen. If you think of anything else. Anything your husband said or did in those last weeks. Will you contact me?"

"Why should I trust you? You’re one of them. One of the powerful people he was afraid of."

"Because I want the truth. Whatever it is. Even if it hurts my family. Even if it destroys everything."

She studied me. Trying to decide if I was sincere.

"I’ll think about it," she said finally.

We left. Got back to the cars. Rose walked with me.

"The scarf is a plant," she said quietly. "Someone wanted you to find it. Wanted you to trace it back to the Chens."

"I know. Question is why."

"To distract you. Or to frame them. Make you think they’re connected when they’re not."

"Which means whoever is really behind this is still out there. Still watching."

"What do you want me to do?"

"Keep an eye on the Chen family. Discreetly. If someone comes after them, I want to know about it."

"And if they’re actually involved? If this is all an act?"

"Then handle it. You know how."

She nodded. "What about Emily’s grave? Want me to stake it out? See who shows up?"

"No. Ross is handling that. I need you on something else."

"What?"

"Tyler. He’s back. Working with Mario. I need to know what they’re planning. Where Tyler’s been. What he wants."

"You think Tyler is connected to all this?"

"I don’t believe in coincidences. Tyler disappears for years. Then suddenly returns right when engineers start dying? Right when someone’s leaving clues at Emily’s grave? It’s connected."

"I’ll find him."

"Be careful. Tyler knows how we operate. He grew up in this family. He’ll be expecting surveillance."

"I’m always careful."

She walked to her car. Drove away. Efficient. Deadly. Exactly what I needed.

Ross came over. "What’s next boss?"

"Keep watching the grave. Someone will show up eventually. They always do."

"Will do."

I got in my car. Sat there for a moment. Processing everything.

Mrs. Chen’s husband had known something. Something dangerous enough to get him killed.

And whoever killed him had made it look like an accident. Just like Emily’s death had looked like an accident.

Too many accidents. Too many coincidences.

My phone buzzed. Text from Dante.

Found something interesting. Emily’s father’s accident report. There were inconsistencies. Things that don’t add up. Want me to dig deeper?

I typed back immediately.

Yes. Find everything. I don’t care what it takes.

His response came quickly.

You sure? This might lead places you don’t want to go.

I didn’t hesitate.

I’m sure.

I thought about Emily. About the way she used to look at me. The way everyone assumed we’d end up together.

Had she looked at me with more than friendship? Had there been feelings I’d been too young or too blind to see?

I’d cared about Emily. Everyone had. She’d been light and warmth in a family that was all shadows and cold calculation.

But love? I wasn’t sure I’d ever loved her. Not the way she might have loved me.

And now she was dead. And someone was still visiting her grave. Still leaving flowers. Still mourning her years later.

Who? Who had loved Emily enough to remember her like that?

My phone buzzed again. Rose.

Found something on Tyler. He’s been staying at a motel on the east side. Under a fake name. Want me to approach?

I considered it. Tyler wouldn’t talk willingly. And forcing him would alert Mario. Alert whoever else might be involved.

No. Just watch. Report his movements. Don’t engage yet.

Copy that.

I started the car. Drove back to the office. My mind racing.

Too many pieces. Too many questions. But they were starting to form a picture. A pattern.

Someone was targeting the family. Cleaning up loose ends. Eliminating people who knew too much.

Emily’s father. The engineers. Who else? How many others had died in "accidents" over the years?

And was Emily one of those loose ends? Had she discovered something? Known something that made her dangerous?

The thought made something cold settle in my chest. If Emily had been murdered. If someone in the family had ordered it.

Then everything I knew was a lie. And everyone I trusted might be complicit.

I pulled into the office garage. Sat there. Stared at the concrete walls.

This investigation was going to destroy people. Was going to tear apart the family. Expose secrets that were meant to stay buried.

But I couldn’t stop. Wouldn’t stop. Because Alicia was in that mansion. Living among people who might be killers. Surrounded by danger she didn’t even know existed.

I had to protect her. Had to find the truth. Had to eliminate the threat before it touched her.

Mine. The thought was dark. Possessive. Consuming.

She was mine to protect. Mine to keep safe. Mine to possess completely.

And anyone who threatened her would pay. Would suffer. Would disappear.

I got out of the car. Headed inside. Took the elevator up.

Walked past Alicia’s desk. She looked up. Our eyes met.

Just for a second. But that second was everything.

The want. The need. The knowledge that we were both drowning in something we couldn’t control.

I kept walking. Into my office. Closed the door.

Tried to focus on work. On business. On anything other than the all-consuming need to claim her. Mark her. Make her understand that she belonged to me.

This obsession was dangerous. Was going to make me do terrible things.

And I didn’t care.

She was mine. And I’d burn the whole world down to keep her.

My door opened. Rose walked in.

"Forget something?" I asked.

"No. Just wanted to tell you in person. I think I know who’s been visiting Emily’s grave."

I sat up. "Who?"

"I’m not sure yet. But Ross sent me footage from the cemetery cameras. There’s a woman. Always comes at night. Always wears dark clothes. Face covered. But there’s something about the way she moves. The way she walks."

"What about it?"

"It’s familiar. Like someone from the family. Someone who knows how to avoid cameras. How to move without being noticed."

"Show me the footage."

She pulled out her phone. Pulled up a video. A grainy image of a woman approaching Emily’s grave. Dark coat. Hood up. Face obscured.

But Rose was right. There was something familiar about her movements. About the way she carried herself.

"Any idea who?" I asked.

"Not yet. But I’ll find out. I promise."

She left. Closed the door behind her.

I watched the video again. And again. Trying to place the woman. Trying to figure out who in the family would be visiting Emily’s grave in secret for five years.

Who had loved Emily enough to keep mourning her in silence?

"Who are you?" I muttered to the screen.