The temptation of my brother-in-law-Chapter 173 - One Hundred and Seventy-Three

Chapter One Hundred and Seventy-Three

Zhao Wei’s POV

The report sat on my desk, marked with the red seal that indicated priority intelligence.

My spies had finally located her. Italy. Specifically, a small city outside Rome. She’d been spotted at a local hospital twice in the past week.

Probably sick. Nothing serious, according to the surveillance.

I leaned back in my chair and studied the photograph they’d included. Grainy. Taken from a distance. But it was definitely her.

Alicia.

Even in a blurry photo wearing plain clothes, she was beautiful. That silver hair. Those eyes. She’d always been striking, even as a child.

I set the photo down and poured myself a drink. Whiskey. Expensive. The kind my father used to keep locked away.

For now, I’d push her aside. There were more immediate concerns. The Blackwoods. Emily’s plan. The empire I was building.

But Alicia was always meant to be the prize.

I’d wanted her since we were children. Since the day her mother started working as a maid in my father’s household. She couldn’t have been more than seven. I was nine. And even then, she was different from the other servants’ children.

Bold. Defiant. Completely unafraid of me.

Most children cowered when I walked past. Knew their place. Knew I was Hong Wei’s son and they were nothing.

But not Alicia. She’d look me right in the eye. Challenge my authority. Question my orders.

"You can’t tell me what to do," she’d said once when I’d demanded she fetch something for me. "You’re not my boss."

"My father owns this house. That makes me your boss."

"My mother works for your father. Not me. I don’t work for anyone."

She’d been so sure of herself. So proud. It had infuriated me and fascinated me in equal measure.

I’d made her life difficult after that. Ordered the other children to exclude her. Made sure she knew I could make things hard for her family if I wanted to.

But she never broke. Never apologized. Just kept glaring at me with those defiant eyes.

Then her mother was fired.

I still remembered the day. Alicia’s father had shown up drunk. Causing a scene in the main hall. Screaming about injustice and corruption and how his wife had been treated unfairly.

"You’re all the same," he’d shouted at me when I’d walked past. "Spoiled brats who think money makes you better than everyone else."

Security had thrown him out. My father had blacklisted the entire family. Made sure they’d never work for any respectable household again.

I’d thought it was good riddance. Thought I’d finally be free of that annoying silver-haired girl who refused to show me proper respect.

But I’d missed her.

Missed the challenge. The fire. The way she made me work for every victory.

Years passed. I forgot about her. Built my own empire. Became someone my father would have been proud of, if he’d lived to see it.

And then I saw her at that charity ball.

I’d worn a mask. Everyone had. It was that kind of event. Elegant. Anonymous. The perfect place to observe without being observed.

I’d been standing by the bar when I saw her. Silver hair pulled into an elegant updo. A dress that probably cost more than her family’s entire yearly income back when we were children.

She’d grown into her beauty. Become something extraordinary.

I’d approached her. Asked her to dance. She’d hesitated, but accepted.

And for three minutes, I got to hold her. Got to be close to her without her knowing who I was.

She’d felt perfect in my arms. Like she belonged there.

"You dance well," I’d said.

"So do you. Do I know you?"

"Perhaps. In another life."

She’d laughed. "That’s very mysterious."

"Mystery is underrated."

The song had ended too soon. She’d thanked me and walked away, back to her table.

Back to Malachi Blackwood.

That had been the surprise. She’d come to the ball with her brother-in-law. Not her husband.

I’d done my research afterward. Found out she was married to Travis Blackwood. The family disappointment. The drunk. The failure.

But she’d come to the ball with Malachi. The dangerous one. The one everyone feared.

I couldn’t blame her for that. No one in their right mind would pick Travis over Malachi.

But it complicated things.

Because Malachi Blackwood didn’t share. And he didn’t forgive.

If I wanted Alicia, I’d have to destroy the Blackwoods first. Completely. Leave nothing for Malachi to protect or claim.

That’s where Emily came in.

A knock on the door interrupted my thoughts.

"Come in."

Emily entered, dressed in all black as usual. Her face was carefully neutral, but I could see the tension in her shoulders.

"Little Ghost," I said. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

She didn’t smile at the nickname. She never did. "I want an update. How is the plan progressing?"

"Slowly. As planned."

"That’s not an answer."

"It’s the only answer I have. These things take time, Emily. Patience is key if you want this to work."

"I’ve been patient for five years. I think I’ve earned the right to some urgency."

I stood and walked to the bar. "Would you like a drink?"

"I don’t drink."

"Since when?"

"Since I died and came back as someone else."

I poured myself another whiskey. "Dramatic as always."

"This isn’t a joke, Zhao. I told you what the Blackwoods did. What they took from me. And you promised you’d help me make them pay."

"I did. And I will. But rushing will only get us caught. Get us killed." I turned to face her. "The pieces are moving. Malachi is distracted. Travis is falling apart. The family is fractured. Everything is going according to plan."

"What about Alicia?"

The name made me pause. "What about her?"

"She’s in Italy. Your people found her. Are you going to bring her back?"

"Not yet. She’s not relevant to the current operation."

Emily’s eyes narrowed. "She’s relevant to you though, isn’t she? I’ve seen the way you look at her file. The way you talk about her."

"She’s a means to an end. A tool to use against Malachi."

"Is that all she is?"

I didn’t answer. Didn’t need to.

Emily walked closer. "Don’t double-cross me, Zhao. I need the Blackwoods destroyed. All of them. If you let personal feelings compromise this operation—"

"I won’t."

"You better not. Because if you do, if you betray me, I’ll make you regret it. I’ve spent five years planning this. Five years becoming someone who can do what needs to be done. Don’t make me add you to the list of people who need to be eliminated."

She wasn’t bluffing. I could see it in her eyes. Emily had become dangerous. Maybe more dangerous than the Blackwoods themselves.

"Relax, Little Ghost. We’re on the same side."

"For now."

"For as long as it takes to destroy them. After that, you’re free to go your separate way."

"And Alicia?"

"What about her?"

"When this is over, what happens to her?"

"That depends on her. On whether she’s willing to cooperate."

Emily studied me for a long moment. "You actually care about her. That’s your weakness, Zhao. Caring about people makes you vulnerable."

"I don’t care about anyone."

"Liar."

She turned and walked toward the door. Stopped with her hand on the handle.

"Just remember what we’re doing this for. Remember why you hate them as much as I do."

"I remember. My father is dead because of them. That’s not something I forget."

"Good. Keep that anger. Feed it. Because when the time comes, you’ll need it."

She left without another word.

I drained my whiskey and poured another.

Emily was right about one thing. I did have a weakness.

Alicia.

The girl who’d challenged me. Defied me. Made me feel something other than ambition and anger.

But weakness could be managed. Controlled. Used.

And when this was over, when the Blackwoods were nothing but ashes, I’d finally have what I’d wanted since I was nine years old.

I’d have her.

Whether she wanted it or not.