Mr. Villain's Lovely Wife

Chapter 87

Dev’s eyes blinked open. The ache in her back quickly rounded her of the events of the night before: Hove the

hell did she end up with him again? Izzy silently chastised herself for being weak around this man

She winced as she shifted slightly, only to find herself trapped beneath Liam's solid arm draped heavily across

her waist. Her muscles protested the moment, a dull throb radiating from her lower back, but the weight of his

arm was warm and grounding

She carefully turned her head, taking in his relaxed features. His dark hair was slightly tousled, his lips were

parted in peaceful sleep. For a moment, she hesitated, unwilling to disturb the tranquility of the scene.

But the ache in her back wasn’t going anywhere, and she needed to stretch. Slowly, she began to slide out from

under his arm, careful not to wake him. Just as she thought she was free, Liam's arm tightened around her waist,

pulling her back against his chest.

“Going somewhere?” he murmured, his voice low and groggy, his eyes barely opened.

Izzy frowned, her cheeks warming. “Letup. My back is killing me.”

Instead of answering, he reached over to the nightstand and grabbed something small and dark. Before she

could process what he was doing, he held up a velvet box in front of her face.

Her breath caught as she stared at it, a mix of confusion and anticipation swirling inside her. “What's this?” she

asked

Liam pressed the box into her hand, his lips quirking into a faint smile. “Open it and find out.”

Izzy hesitated, glancing between him and the box before she slowly lifted the lid. Nestled inside was a delicate-

looking ring.

Izzy's fingers tightened around the small box as she stared at the ring. The band was white gold, simple yet

elegant, with a small, round diamond in the center. The diamond was subtle, surrounded by intricate etchings

that gave the ring a vintage charm. It wasn’t flashy or oversized but delicate, almost understated—the kind of

ring that didn’t draw too much attention but was undeniably beautiful.

She blinked, lifting her gaze to Liam. “What is this?”

He propped himself up on one elbow, a small smile tugging at his lips. “Happy birthday,” he said, nodding toward

the box. “It’s for you.”

Izzy stared at him, suspicion flickering in her eyes. She glanced back at the ring and then at him, her brow

furrowing. “Is this a joke?” she asked, her tone cautious. “Are you prankingagain?”

Liam raised an eyebrow, shaking his head. “No pranks this time,” he said, watching her carefully. “It’s real.”

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Izzy looked at the ring again, still uncertain. “You're tellingyou didn’t hide something ridiculous inside? No

confetti, no weird engraving, nothing like that? Would it make a sound if | wear it?”

Liam sighed, sitting up fully. “No,” he said firmly. “This time, it’s just a ring. One | made for my wife.”

Izzy's eyebrows shot up as she gave him a skeptical look. A week ago, she would have immediately start arguing

with her for how he just called her his wife, Now? Now is different. She focused on the ring. “You designed this?”

she asked, tilting the box slightly to get a better look at the details.

“I had it made,” Liam clarified, reaching out to gently take the box from her hands. He held it up between them.

“I made

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Chapter 87

sure it was something you'd actually want to wear every day.”

Izzy narrowed her eyes slightly, still wary. “Why?” She was already planning to wear during events and special

occasions,

Liam shrugged as if the answer were obvious. “Because | know you. You don't like big, flashy jewelry or anything

that gets in the way. This... it’s practical, simple, and it suits you.”

Izzy studied his face, searching for any sign that he was messing with her. But his expression remained sincere,

and it made her pause. She glanced back at the ring, her lips pressing into a in line as she considered his words.

“You really think I'd want to wear this every day?” she asked, lifting the ring from the box and holding it between

her fingers.

Liam nodded, leaning back against the headboard. “I wouldn't have gone to the trouble if I didn’t think you'd like

it

Izzy exhaled slowly, turning the ring over in her hands. The design was thoughtful, and she couldn't deny that it

suited her style. Finally, she slipped it onto her finger, studying how it looked against her skin. It fit perfectly, as

though it had always belonged there.

“It's... nice,” she admitted grudgingly, glancing at him out of the corner of her eye. “Not bad for once.

Liam's lips switched in amusement, but he didn’t say anything, simply watching her reaction.

Izzy shook her head, a small smile creeping onto her face despite herself. “Alright,” she said. “No pranks. I'll give

you credit for this one.”

“You should,” Liam replied, a satisfied glint in his eyes. “You'll be wearing it every day, after all.”

Izzy pressed her lips together. Then she turned toward him and suddenly kissed him on the cheeks. “Thanks.”

This time, it was Liam's turn to be speechless.

After what felt like forever, the two left the hotel and grabbed breakfast at a nearby cafe before heading to the

office.

Liam sprawled comfortably on the couch in Izzy's office, watching her sift through a stack of documents. “It’s

your birthday. Can't you just take the day off?” he asked, his tone laced with annoyance. “I'm pretty sure they'll

survive without you for a day.”

Izzy didn’t even look up. She flipped to the next page, scanned it, and signed her nwith practiced efficiency.

“I have things to do,” she said simply, setting the document aside and reaching for another. They are in Macau

for work. Why would she spend a day doing things that’s not going to make her accomplish something?

Liam leaned back as he studied her. “That's not an answer.”

Izzy glanced at him briefly but didn’t respond. Her birthday had never been something she looked forward to.

Growing up, the celebrations were always more about Monica than her. The parties were designed around

Monica's preferences-her favorite themes, her favorite decorations, and even her favorite cakes. Izzy had

learned early on that her own wishes didn’t

matter.

She returned her focus to the document in front of her. “Birthdays aren't a big deal for me,” she said after a

moment. “They

never were.”

Liam's gaze softened, but he didn’t press her further. Instead, he stayed silent, watching her work with an

intensity she chose to ignore. Then he said. “Well... that needs to change.”

12:17 Sun, Jan 19 GE

Chapter 87

04.84%

San Francisco

“What made your face like that?” GEO Weiss asked his wife, Ced, the moment he walked into the house.

Cecil didn’t look up immediately. Instead, she focused on arranging the bouquet of fresh flowers in front of her.

The glass vase on the marble table was already half-filled with water, the stems of pale pink roses and white

hydrangeas carefully placed on a balanced display. Nearby, an ornate box held a variety of trimmings-delicate

shears, ribbons, and decorative leaves. She adjusted the angle of a tulip, stepping back slightly to inspect her

work.

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She added the tulip to the arrangement, turning it slightly to ensure it blended with the others. “It's a good thing

you still notice these things,” she said dryly, finally meeting his gaze. “I've been in a mood for days.”

CEO Weiss sighed, moving to the chair opposite her. He gestured to one of the maids, who nodded and

disappeared into the kitchen. He loosened his tie, leaning back into the chair. “Letguess-this is about

Calen?”

Cecil snorted softly but didn’t respond, her hands busy adjusting a ribbon around the vase. She reached for a

small sprig of baby’s breath, placing it carefully between the blooms. The maid returned, setting a glass of water

on the side table beside CEO Weiss before retreating quietly.

CEO Weiss took a sip, setting the glass down. “You can’t force Izzy to marry him,” he said. “Not after what he

did.”

Cecil straightened, brushing a stray petal from the table. “I’m not forcing her,” she replied, her fingers still

fidgeting with the ribbon. “Calen toldhe could convince her. | just want them to work things out. Maybe some

therapy would help

CEO Weiss raised an eyebrow, leaning forward slightly. “Therapy? Cecil, do you really think they can recover

from this? After everything?”

Cecil sighed, stepping back from the arrangement and folding her arms. She looked at the bouquet for a

moment, as if searching for answers in the carefully arranged flowers. “I don’t know,” she admitted. “I can only

hope Izzy has the heart to forgive him. He made mistakes, terrible ones. But | still believe there's a chance.”

CEO Weiss rested his elbows on his knees, studying her. “And if there's no redemption for him? What then?”

Cecil shook her head, her expression tightening. “Then... I'll accept it. But | can’t stop hoping. | just can’t.”

CEO Weiss sat back again, his fingers lightly drumming against the armrest. He didn’t respond immediately, his

gaze shifting to the flowers. “Hope is fine,” he said eventually. “But Izzy's decision has to cfirst and | don’t

want this affecting our relationship with the Rossi's.”

Cecil sighed. “Besides... giving the project to Izzy alone is—"

“| already told you...” CEO Weiss suddenly got up. “I am not talking about this inside the mansion. Izzy will be

leading the project. Calen can either work with her or... he leads his own project but the Macau one should be

Izzy's. After all, she was the one who worked hard to get it.”

“But—" Cecil started to protest, but CEO Weiss had already turned on his heel and was walking away. Her grip

tightened around the shears in her hand as her frustration bubbled to the surface. Watching his retreating back,

her expression darkened.

“Calen is your son,” she muttered under her breath, her words sharp and bitter. “Why do you treat someone else

better than

you treat him?”