Mr. Villain's Lovely Wife

Chapter 42

Izzy stared at the ceiling, her temples throbbing with the kind ofull pain only a hangover could deliver. The dim light filtering through the curtains mocked her as she groaned and rubbed her forehead. It was a weekday–why on earth had she thought drinking so much was a good idea?

Rolling onto her side, she squinted at her phone on the nightstal. Two missed calls from Anna. Her stomach dropped when slie checked the time: 9:07 AM. Her meetings. Panic spiked through her headache as she quickly dialed Anna back.

“Miss Rossi, you’re late,” Anna said before Izzy could even speak

“I know,” Izzy muttered, sitting up slowly to avoid making her headache worse. “Cancel my morning meetings. Reschedule anything urgent for later this week.”

Anna hesitated. “Understood. I’ll adjust your schedule.”

“Thank you,” Izzy said, ending the call. She dropped the phone onto the bed and let out a heavy sigh. A wave of irritation swelled inside her. First, the headache, and now the frustration of having to rearrange an already packed day. Her mood worsened as she glanced at the other side of the bed. Liam’s side Empty, as always.

Her memory

flashed back to last night in his study–his teasing smirk, the weight of his gaze, the tension that hung in the air between them. What the hell had possessed her to ask him to drink with her? She pressed a hand to her forehead. That wine–fueled confidence was nowhere to be found this morning, leaving only the sharp edge of regret.

Shaking her head, Izzy slid out of bed and made her way to the bathroom. A quick shower washed away some of the haze, but not the lingering embarrassment. She avoided looking at herself too long in the mirror as she brushed her teeth, half, hoping the water would somehow erase last night’s choices.

By the time she made it downstairs, she was only half–functioning. All she wanted was coffee and something to eat. Maybe caffeine would fix her mood–or at least dull her headache enough to get through the day,

Her steps faltered as she entered the kitchen. Liam was there,

He stood by the stove, his sleeves rolled up, casually flipping something in a pan. The faint smell of eggs and freshly brewed coffee filled the air. He didn’t look like a man who’d been up late managing his company–or dealing with her drunken antics. He looked composed and maddeningly unbothered.

Izzy hovered by the doorway, uncertain whether to turn back or address the situation head–on. Before she could decide, Liam glanced over his shoulder.

“Morning,” he said simply, gesturing toward the counter. “Sit. Food’s almost ready.”

Izzy blinked, momentarily thrown off. She moved toward the counter but hesitated before sitting. “You’re cooking?”

said, cracking another egg into the pan. “You look like you need

tightened.

he wasn’t convinced. “Hungover on

could’ve said no to the wine.” “And miss the entertainment?” he replied, smirking as he plated he eggs. “Not a chance.”

to the bait.

been cooking your lunch, and you still wonder if

Sat, Jan 4

Chapter 42

made that food?” she asked.

poured her a glass, and handed it to her. “For

yellowish liquid. It smelled like lemon, but there

pepper. has honey, ginger, and freshly squeezed lemon juice. The honey is all–natural from Hawaii. If you’re interested, I could

blinked. Then she blinked again before she accepted the glass. “Thanks.”

Now, that wasn’t a

and blinked. It wasn’t just eggs and toast. There was a bowl of clear soup with finely sliced vegetables and what looked like tofu cubes, alongside a small bowl of fresh fruit–kiwi, strawberries, and blueberries, arranged with an annoying amount of precision.

made soup!” she asked, incredulous, picking up the spoon.

her, resting his forearms on the table. “It’s a simple miso broth,” he said. “It’s good

spoonful, the warmth spreading through her as she tasted it. It was light but

welcome again,” he said,

fade. After a few moments, she glanced up. “Why are you still here? Don’t you have

up his own coffee mug. “I

She paused,

and take care of his wife,” he replied,

took a sip of the turmeric honey drink, using it as an excuse to avoid responding immediately. His words threw her off balance. Husband Wife! What kind of game was he

him. The silence stretched between them, broken only by the faint clink of her

much,” Liam said suddenly,

froze mid–bite, her eyes snapping to his. He wasn’t looking her, his focus was on the coffee mug in his hands. She swallowed quickly, the words forming in her mind but refusing to come out. Finally, she settled on

even eat breakfast, or are you just playing chef today?” She set her spoon down and folded her

forward to rest his elbows on