Mr. Villain's Lovely Wife

Chapter 152 63% "Why are you still here?" Izzy muttered, squinting as the bedroom door creaked open. The sunlight streaming through the curtains made her head throb, and she groaned, pressing a palm against her temple.

Liam stepped inside, holding a tray in one hand. “Good morning to you too," he said, moving with that infuriatingly calm stride of his.

Izzy's eyes flickered to the clock on the nightstand. The glowing red digits read 9:12 a.m.

Almost immediately, she bolted upright, heart lurching. "Nine?! I'm late-Anna's probably-" Liam chuckled. Before she could fling the covers off, he placed a hand on her shoulder, pressing her back down against the pillows with ease. "Calm down," he said simply. "I already called Anna. Told her you'd be taking a half-day since you're not feeling well." Izzy sagged back, massaging her temples as the pounding in her head eased a fraction. "You what?" Liam set the tray on the bedside table and pulled a chair closer, one brow lifting slightly. "You're welcome," he said dryly.

Izzy huffed, though the irritation was half-hearted at best. The dull ache behind her eyes made it impossible to muster any real annoyance. "Still... you didn't have to do that." Liam didn't respond immediately. He picked up a porcelain bowl from the tray, the soft steam curling lazily above the dark liquid. The scent was faint but comforting-ginger, dates, something earthy and warm.

Izzy squinted at the bowl. "What's that?" "Soup," Liam said simply, sitting down at the edge of the bed. "For the headache." Izzy arched a brow, dubious. "Since when do you make soup?" Liam's lips twitched faintly. "Since China." Izzy blinked, momentarily thrown. "China?" Liam nodded, stirring the soup slowly with a porcelain spoon. “I was there for a few months a couple of years back. Picked up a few things." He scooped a spoonful, blowing on it lightly before holding it out to her. "Drink." Izzy eyed the dark liquid with suspicion but leaned forward cautiously, letting him tip the spoon to her lips. The taste was surprisingly pleasant-mildly sweet with a hint of warmth from the ginger, the slight bitterness balanced by something sweeter, maybe dates.

"What's in this?" she asked between sips.

"Ginger, red dates, goji berries," Liam said, listing them off easily. "A bit of dried tangerine peel. Helps with nausea and headaches. Ancient people like the emperors and his concubines use this a lot." Izzy's brows lifted, impressed despite herself. "You sure you didn't just buy this somewhere?" Liam snorted. "I'd like to think I can manage something this simple," he replied, dipping the spoon back into the bowl.

Izzy huffed but opened her mouth when he held the spoon out again, the warmth spreading pleasantly with each swallow. The dull ache behind her eyes was slowly ebbing away, replaced by a languid warmth that made it hard to stay annoyed.

She glanced at him sideways, eyes narrowing slightly. "I've traveled to a lot of countries, you know," she muttered. "Never learned how to make soup." 1/3 Chapter 152 Liam smirked faintly, scooping another spoonful. "You were always too easy ruding between sense for grandk "Barely took tto breathe, let alone learn anything" Izzy scowled half-heartedly. "Says the man who doesn't even take weekends of "Fair." Liam conceded, amusement flickering in his eyes. He brought the spoon back to her lips, wating pawudy "But dur was before I got married" Izzy hesitated for a fraction of a second before relenting, letting him feed her without complace le tek be too comfortable-too easy. But with the headache dulling and Liam's steady preserve bride her, the custhe's band är det kommend to argue.

Liam's eyes flickered briefly with something unreadable. "You should rest after this. No phones or iPads, he said, wing t empty bowl back on the tray.

Izzy leaned back against the pillows with a soft huff. "You're bossy," she muttered. "This is just a hangover. I'm not sor anything." This was just because she had too much to drink, nothing more Liam didn't deny it. He just leaned back in the chair, arms folded loosely as he watched her with that cales, assessing ques his.

Seeing this, Izzy sighed, her eyes fluttering shut. "Thanks," she mumbled.

"For the soup?" "For everything," she admitted quietly. "For staying." Liam's hand shifted, his fingers brushing lightly over hers-brief, almost imperceptible. But enough "Anytime," he said simply.

Izzy then opened her eyes and smiled. "And may I please have my iPad and phone?" she asked.

"Still so stubborn, eh?" This time, he chuckled before he got up and took her phone and iPad from her bag. To her surprise, he even included her laptop! She quickly took her phone and opened it.

Izzy's eyes narrowed at the screen as she scrolled through the notifications on her phone. Twelve missed call All from Calen. She scoffed softly and tapped the side of the phone, deliberating for half a second before locking the screen withou responding. Whatever he wanted could wait.

Liam arched a brow, watching her as she reached for her laptop instead, flipping it open with a click. The screen lit up, a sof glow filling the room as she typed in her password. A message from Anna popped up almost immediately, the small icon blinking insistently.

Izzy clicked on it.

"Thought you'd want to see this," Anna's message read, followed by a link.

Izzy pressed her lips together, curiosity and a faint sense of dread curling in her stomach. With a quiet breath, she moved the cursor and clicked the link.

The page loaded quickly, and the headline splashed across the screen in bold, black letters made her expression darken.

"Calen Weiss to Lead Macau Project Amidst Scandal - A Fresh Start for Weiss Inc.?" But it wasn't the headline that made Izzy's jaw tighten. It was the photograph right below it.

Calen stood before a sea of reporters, looking smug and self-assured. Pamella Johnson was beside him, her arm looped neatly through his, her smile dazzling and practiced.

2/3 Chapter 152

Izzy's fingers hovered over the trackpal, momentarily frozen She inked once, dowly, before dragging the cursor down to continue reading

Izzy inhaled slowly through her nose, fingers tapping an uneven shythm against the laptop's edge: All those All months of work. the late nights, the endless meetings, and negotiations-discarded just like that Izzy's grip tightened on the laptop, her nails tapping sharply again the keys.

She hadn't realized she'd stopped scrolling until Liam's voice cut through the silence, "It won't last long" Izzy's eyes flicked to him, startled. His expression was calm-almost indifferent.

She didn't respond immediately. Instead, she turned back to the laptop, skimming the rest of the artide with a denched jew Izzy exhaled sharply through her nose, shutting the laptop with a soft but decisive dick.

"That bad?" Liam asked.

Izzy leaned back against the pillows, pressing a palm to her temple. Just predictable," she muttered.

Liam's eyes flickered. "Renard's panicking. He's trying to use the Johnsons to stabilize the company's image," he said. "It won't work." Izzy huffed, draping an arm over her eyes. "You sound awfully confident." Liam smirked faintly. "Because I've seen the reports." Izzy's lips twitched. "Right." What reports? She couldn't help but wonder.

As if sensing her thoughts, Liam shrugged one shoulder, unapologetic. "You knew that when you married me.” Then her phone buzzed again. Calen. Again.

Izzy's jaw clenched, but she didn't move to answer.

Liam arched a brow. "Should I have Anna block his number?"

Izzy let out a snort. "Tempting," she admitted, pressing a hand over her eyes. "But that'd be too easy." No. Izzy had other plans. It's tto finally end this saga. 3/3 mmMwWLlilofiflo&1 mmMwWLlilofiflo&1 mmMwWLlilofiflo&1 mmMwWLlilofiflo&1 mmMwWLliIofifl0&1 mmMwWLlilofiflo&1