Mr. Villain's Lovely Wife

Chapter 48

The faint glow of the city lights stretched out below them, shimmering against the backdrop of San Francisco Bay. Izzy leaned back in her seat, the plush private booth offering both comfort and a breathtaking view from the rooftop of The Argent, one of the city’s most exclusive restaurants. A soft breeze swept in from the open balcony, mingling with the faint hum of conversations from other diners.

Liam sal across from her, impeccably dressed as always. Despite this, he had a calm and languid posture. He raised his glass toward her, an eyebrow lifted in question. “Cheers, Mrs. Horvath Are we celebrating something? Or did I forget your birthday again?”

Izzy smirked, clinking her glass lightly against his. “You’ve never forgotten my birthday. Unfortunately” For as long as she could remember, Liam had always been the first to send her a greeting on her birthday. Even if he was halfway across the globe, he wouldn’t miss the chance to bother her with a midnight call, his voice was always so smug as he wished her a happy birthday.

Over the years, she had started to reciprocate–though in her own way. She had started calling him at dawn just to greet him. Izzy doesn’t care if she was the first one to call him. All she cared about was disturbing his sleep.

Liam leaned forward, his eyes narrowing with playful suspicion Unfortunately? 1 thought my gifts were memorable.”

“Oh, they’re memorable.” Izzy said dryly, taking a sip of her wine. How could she forget the gifts? The silly ones that seemed designed to scare her. “Who could forget the horrifying doll with one eye you gave me when I was, what? Ten?,

“That was a collector’s item,” Liam countered, smirking. “It had character, just like you.”

“It had nightmares,” Izzy shot back, shaking her head. The memory was still vivid. She had cried so much when she first unwrapped the gift, the doll’s single, glassy eye staring back at her like it was plotting something. Unfortunately, her grandfather hadn’t let her throw it away, insisting it was “too unique to discard.” Instead, he made her keep it under her bed, where it haunted her for weeks. Night after night, she dreamed of that one–eyed menace crawling out to get her. It wasn’t until she begged and bargained that her grandfather finally agreed to store it in the attic, just in case she ever “changed her mind about ugly dolls.”

“And then there was the… what was it?” Izzy continued, her expression shifting to amused exasperation. “The life–sized flamingo lawn ornament?”

Liam laughed softly, cutting into his steak with precision. “That was a masterpiece. You had it on your balcony for weeks”

“I kept it there to scare off pigeons,” Izzy replied, her eyes glinting with amusement. That flamingo was definitely unforgettable. If she was right, the flamingo was still in her grandfather’s mansion until now. “You’ve got to admit, your gifts improved. The antique tea set last year was actually thoughtful.

Liam tilted his head in mock thoughtfulness as he slid a slice of steak onto her plate. “So you’re saying I’m growing on you.”

push it,” she said, though the corners of her lips

my gifts when you’ve sent me weird ones too?” he

was revenge,

it, you were really proud of that nean light–up tie.”

with a special mechanism that lit up. It was actually fun. and Izzy was tempted to keep it.

me a crime against

yet you wore it.”

Jan

Chapter 48

my office and threatened

“You deserved it after the flaringo.”

“Admit it, though. You enjoyed my singing telegram.”

on her sip, setting her glass down quickly. “That was not enjoyment. That

embarrassment

“You laughed.”

she corrected. There’s a difference.”

a hint of something more. He didn’t say anything, but his lingered a little too long, making her suddenly hyperaware of how close they were despite the table between them. She cleared her

gaze

up her fork and knife. “What’s the theme for this year’s disaster?” “You’ll just have to wait and see,” Liam said smoothly. “But let’s not call it

laughed softly, shaking her head..

meals and enjoyed some cocktails while looking at the view