The temptation of my brother-in-law-Chapter 132 - One Hundred and Thirty-two

Chapter One Hundred and Thirty-two

Malachi’s POV

I spent the morning visiting families.

Three engineers. Three widows. Children who’d lost fathers. Lives destroyed because someone had sabotaged equipment and made it look like an accident.

The compensation packages were generous. More than generous. Life insurance. College funds. Monthly stipends. Healthcare. Everything they’d need to rebuild.

But money didn’t bring back the dead. Didn’t erase the grief. Didn’t answer the question that haunted every conversation.

Why?

Mrs. Rodriguez cried when I handed her the paperwork. Said her husband had been careful. That he’d checked every piece of equipment twice. That he’d never made mistakes.

Mr. Kim’s widow just stared at me. Empty. Hollow. Like she’d already used up all her tears.

And Mrs. Chen. Victoria Chen. She’d looked at me with knowing eyes. Like she understood more than she was saying.

"My husband knew something," she’d said again. "Something that got him killed. And you know it too."

I didn’t confirm or deny. Just promised her the investigation was ongoing. That we’d find the truth.

But the truth was complicated. Dangerous. Connected to things I was only beginning to understand.

By noon, I was exhausted. Emotionally drained. Ready to go back to the office and lose myself in work.

But Maurice called.

"Found something. The equipment that failed. It was tampered with. Deliberately. Someone accessed the site three days before the accident. Disabled safety protocols. Made it look like normal maintenance."

"Who accessed it?"

"That’s the problem. The logs were erased. But security footage shows a vehicle entering the site. No plates. No identifying marks. But the timing matches."

"So someone planned this. Knew exactly when and how to strike."

"Yeah. And boss? The same vehicle was spotted near two other Blackwood construction sites. Different cities. Different projects. But same vehicle. Same MO."

My blood ran cold. "They’re targeting multiple sites?"

"Looks like it. I’ve already increased security at all locations. But whoever this is, they’re organized. Professional. They know our systems."

"Inside job?"

"Possible. Or someone who used to work for us. Someone with access and knowledge."

Tyler. The name came immediately. Tyler had worked in operations before his banishment. Had access to sites. Had known the systems inside and out.

"Get me a list of everyone who’s had access to our construction operations in the last ten years. Cross-reference it with people who left the company or were terminated."

"Already on it. Should have something by end of day."

"Good. And Maurice? I want twenty-four-hour surveillance on all active sites. I don’t care what it costs. No more accidents."

"Understood."

I hung up. Sat in my car. Stared at the Chen house in my rearview mirror.

Someone was systematically attacking the company. Killing our people. Creating chaos.

And somewhere in all of this, Emily was connected.

Emily. Her name kept coming up. Her grave. Her father. Her death.

I pulled out my phone. Called Dante.

"Tell me you found something," I said.

"I did. Emily’s father. His accident report is full of inconsistencies."

"Like what?"

"Like the fact that his car’s brake line was cut. Clean cut. Professional. But the official report says mechanical failure. No investigation. Case closed within a week."

"Someone covered it up."

"Big time. And get this. He had a meeting scheduled the day he died. With a lawyer. He’d made an appointment to revise his will. To add provisions. To protect Emily."

"Protect her from what?"

"Don’t know. The lawyer won’t talk. Claims attorney-client privilege even though he is dead."

"That privilege dies with the client."

"Unless there’s an ongoing matter. Unless whatever he was worried about is still relevant."

I leaned back. Processed this. he had known he was in danger. Had tried to protect Emily legally. Then died before he could.

"What about Pa Wood? Was he involved in his business dealings?"

"Deeply. They were partners in multiple ventures. Real estate. Construction. Import-export. he handled the operations. Pa Wood handled the money and connections."

"So if he died, Pa Wood would inherit control."

"Essentially. Though officially everything went to Emily when Pa Wood adopted her."

But Pa Wood controlled Emily. Had raised her. Had access to everything that was supposed to be hers.

The pieces were forming a picture. An ugly picture.

"Keep digging," I said. "I want to know everything about his business. Every deal. Every partner. Every enemy."

"You think Pa Wood killed him?"

"I think someone did. And Pa Wood benefited. That’s enough to keep looking."

"This could destroy the family if it’s true."

"Then we make sure we have proof before we accuse anyone."

I hung up. Started driving back to the office.

Emily. Sweet, kind Emily. She’d grown up not knowing her father had been murdered. Not knowing she’d been living with his possible killer.

Had she found out? Is that why she died?

The thought made me sick. Made me question everything I knew about Pa Wood. About the family. About the empire we’d built.

My phone rang again. Cecilia this time.

"Hey," I answered.

"Malachi. The lawyer you hired. He’s amazing. He found irregularities in the way my uncles have been challenging the will. Procedural errors. Things that could get their case thrown out."

"That’s good news."

"It is. He thinks we can have this resolved within a month. Maybe two."

"And your uncles? Have they backed off?"

"Not exactly. They’re still making threats. Still trying to intimidate me. But having you there the other day. Having security. It helped. I feel safer."

Guilt twisted in my chest. She felt safer because of me. Trusted me. Relied on me.

And I was using her. Using this arrangement to stay close to Alicia. To have cover for my obsession.

"I’m glad," I said. Meaning it even if my motives were complicated.

"I know this arrangement isn’t ideal for you. I know you have other things going on. Other priorities. But I want you to know I appreciate everything you’re doing."

"You don’t have to thank me. I made a promise to your father. I’m keeping it."

"Still. Not everyone would. Most people would have found a way out by now."

"I’m not most people."

She laughed softly. "No. You’re definitely not."

We talked for a few more minutes. About the case. About her security. About the timeline for resolution.

The whole time, my mind was elsewhere. On Alicia. On Emily. On the web of lies and secrets threatening to strangle us all.

When we hung up, I felt heavier. More burdened. Like every conversation added another weight to the pile I was already carrying.

I got back to the office. Went straight to my floor. Alicia was at her desk. She looked up when I passed. Our eyes met.

Just for a second. But that second was everything.

I saw the question there. The knowledge that I’d been gone all morning. The curiosity about where I’d been. What I’d been doing.

But she didn’t ask. Just nodded slightly. Went back to her work.

Professional. Distant. Perfect.

I went into my office. Closed the door. Sat at my desk.

Pulled up the files Maurice had sent. Started going through names. Dates. Access records.

A name that shouldn’t have been there. Someone who’d had access to construction sites. Who’d been terminated three years ago. Who’d disappeared after his dismissal.

Tyler’s best friend. His closest ally before the banishment.

Marcus Webb.

I pulled up his file. Read through his termination report. He’d been fired for safety violations. For cutting corners. For putting workers at risk.

Pa Wood had personally ordered his dismissal. Had made sure Marcus would never work in construction again.

Which gave Marcus motive. Revenge. Against Pa Wood. Against the company. Against everything we’d built.

And if Tyler was back. If he was working with Marcus. If they were coordinating these attacks.

Then this was bigger than I’d thought. More dangerous. More personal.

I called Maurice. "Marcus Webb. Former operations manager. Terminated three years ago. I need everything for him. Current location. Known associates. Financial records. Everything."

"You think he’s involved?"

"I think he’s our saboteur. And I think Tyler is helping him."

"That’s a serious accusation."

"Then let’s prove it. Or disprove it. Either way, I want answers."

"I’m on it."

I hung up. Leaned back in my chair. Stared at the ceiling.

Tyler and Marcus. Working together. Attacking the company. Killing our people.

But why now? What had triggered this? What had made them decide to strike after years of silence?

Emily. Always back to Emily.

The flowers at her grave. The mysterious visitor. The scarf belonging to Victoria Chen whose husband had just been killed.

It was all connected. I just couldn’t see how yet.

My door opened. Rose walked in. Didn’t knock. Never did.

"Found Tyler’s location. He’s been moving between three different places. Motel. Apartment. And a warehouse on the east side."

"What’s at the warehouse?"

"Don’t know yet. But it’s registered to a shell company. Untraceable ownership. Could be a meeting place. Could be storage. Could be a base of operations."

"I want surveillance on all three locations. Round the clock. I want to know everyone who comes and goes."

"Already set up. But Malachi? If Tyler figures out we’re watching him, he’ll disappear. And we’ll lose our chance."

"Then make sure he doesn’t figure it out."

She nodded. Started to leave. Stopped. "There’s something else. About Emily’s grave. The woman who’s been visiting. I think I know who it is."

My pulse quickened. "Who?"

"I’m not one hundred percent certain yet. But the way she moves. The way she carries herself. I think it might be someone from the family. Someone who was close to Emily. Someone who’s been mourning her in secret."

"Give me a name."

"I need to confirm first. Don’t want to accuse the wrong person. But I’ll have an answer soon. I promise."

She left. Closed the door.

I sat there. Mind racing. Trying to fit all the pieces together.

Tyler. Marcus. Emily. The sabotage. The deaths. The secrets.

It was all connected. A web of betrayal and revenge spanning years. Maybe decades.

And at the center of it all was Pa Wood. The man who’d built this empire. Who’d raised me. Who’d given me everything.

The man who might have murdered his best friend. Might have orchestrated Emily’s death. Might be responsible for everything wrong in this family.

I didn’t want to believe it. Didn’t want to think Pa Wood was capable of such calculated evil.

But the evidence was mounting. The connections were forming. And soon, I’d have to face the truth.

Whatever that truth was. Whatever it cost.

Because people were dying. Because Alicia was in danger. Because the family I’d devoted my life to might be built on murder and lies.

And if that was true, if Pa Wood was responsible, then everything would change.

Everything.