Chapter 90 - ninety
Chapter Ninety
Malachi’s POV
I woke up happy. Actually happy. A rare feeling that had nothing to do with business success or revenge plots finally coming together.
Well, maybe a little to do with revenge.
I wanted to see the havoc I’d wrecked. Wanted to watch Travis squirm. Watch Layla try to maintain her dignity. Watch the family react to the scandal that had blown up in spectacular fashion.
The aftermath was always my favorite part. The initial explosion was satisfying, but watching people deal with the consequences? That was art.
I took my time getting ready. Showered. Dressed in one of my better suits. Dark gray. Expensive. The kind of armor you wore when you wanted to look untouchable.
When I went down for breakfast, the dining room was unusually full. And unnaturally quiet.
Everyone was there. Mario sat at one end, looking smug about something. Layla next to him, her face carefully blank but her eyes red from crying. Sasha across from her, picking at her food and avoiding everyone’s gaze. Sophie was there too, eating quietly and looking uncomfortable with the tension.
And my father. Tom Blackwood. Seated near Pa Wood’s usual spot.
I paused in the doorway. My father wasn’t always around the house. He spent most of his time in China, handling Pa Wood’s operations there. The dirty work. The deals that needed to happen far from American scrutiny. The connections with manufacturing and shipping that kept the Blackwood empire running smoothly.
Seeing him here meant something significant was happening. Pa Wood didn’t call him back for minor family drama.