Mr. Villain's Lovely Wife

Chapter 180

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“What do you think of this?” Olivier said, holding the file out again. “Father, I told you, I am completely confident in this lot this time. A few of my contacts already made gains from similar deals last year. One of them flipped a claim in Nevada for double what he paid.”

Philip remained seated at the head of the table, the file unopened in front of him.

“I know the risks,” Olivier continued, adjusting his cuff. “But there’s always a risk. No one profits by playing safe forever. Olivier couldn’t help but glance at Liam who was seated a few feet away from him. Luckily, that wife of his left!

Philip didn’t speak right away. He tapped his knuckles lightly on the edge of the table, his eyes still on the papers in front of him.

Seeing the pause as an opening, Olivier turned toward Liam.

“What about you? Any brilliant insights on this project?” he asked, one brow slightly raised.

Liam sat back in his chair. “It’s risky,” he said. “I wouldn’t gamble on it.”

Olivier scoffed. “This isn’t gambling. It’s strategy. Do you even know the difference?”

Liam picked up his water glass, held it for a moment, then set it back down. “You don’t know what’s on the ground. You don’t have test results. You’re buying land on hope. That’s gambling.”

Olivier leaned forward. “You never give anything I do the benefit of the doubt. You always act like you’re the smartest one in the room. You can’t even show a basic level of respect–for me or my work. I don’t know why I expected anything different from someone who didn’t even bother to tell his own father he was getting married.”

Liam didn’t look away. “Respect isn’t automatic. You weren’t there for anything growing up. Not birthdays. Not school. Not when Mom died. So what exactly were you expecting from me?”

Olivier’s expression hardened.

“You missed everything,” Liam added. “Why would you expect to be invited to a wedding when you weren’t even there for the rest of my life?”

The room went quiet. Philip remained still. His eyes flicked once toward Olivier, then back to the paper in front of him. “That is enough.”

“Father…”

Philip placed the file back down, this time tapping the edge with a finger. “I’ll give you the money,” he said. “But on one condition.”

Olivier straightened. “What condition?”

Philip looked at him directly. “You’ll sign a contract. Six months. If you don’t show a return or at least secure another investor, you pay it back in full. With interest.”

Olivier opened his mouth to protest, but Philip held up a hand.

“You said yourself, you know the risks,” Philip continued. “So manage them. Treat this like the business you claim it is.”

“That’s not fair,” Olivier said quickly. “You didn’t make Liam sign anything when he started his firm. You gave him the loan without blinking.”

Philip didn’t flinch. “Liam paid me back three months later. In full. With profit. If I made my grandson repay me, why

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shouldn’t I expect the same from you?” He leaned back. “Or did you think everything should be handed to you just because you’re a Horvath?”

Olivier’s jaw tightened. He looked down briefly, then back at his father, “Fine. Then let’s raise the stakes”

Philip didn’t respond.

“If I turn a profit on this venture,” Olivier said, voice low, “I’m not paying a cent back. Nothing. That’s the deal.”

Liam blinked. “And if you don’t?”

Olivier turned his head toward him. “Then I’ll pay back double,”

Philip’s fingers paused against the table.

“You think I’m gambling?” Olivier added. “Then let’s gamble all the way.”

Liam leaned forward slightly. “You’ve lost your mind.”

Olivier didn’t blink. “You said it yourself–this is a bet. So I’m betting on myself.”

Philip didn’t answer immediately. He picked up the file again and slowly flipped it open.

“Draw up the contract,” he said. “Both versions. I want them signed by the end of the week.”

Olivier exhaled, then gave a short nod.

“He did what?” Izzy frowned.

Liam kept his eyes on the road. “He made a deal with my grandfather. If he makes money off the lot, he keeps it all. If not, he pays back double.”

Izzy shifted in her seat. “Wait… you’re serious? He actually proposed that himself?”

Liam nodded once. “I was sitting right there.”

She stared ahead, silent for a few seconds. “That’s insane.”

“It’s not new,” Liam said. “He’s always been like that. Disappears for months, then comes back with a new business idea or some investment he wants funded. Grandfather used to argue with him. Then eventually he just stopped trying.”

Izzy glanced over at him. “And gave up?”

“Let him burn on his own,” Liam said. “Stopped caring about what he did with the money. But he also stopped trusting him. Stopped believing him. I don’t blame him.”

Izzy leaned her head back against the seat. “I don’t know what it is about that Arizona project, but it just feels off. I’ve heard some chatter. The land isn’t exactly untouched. A few firms tried to explore it five, or six years ago. Most of them walked away.”

Liam raised an eyebrow but didn’t look over.

“They cited environmental red tape,” she continued. “Some zoning overlap with nearby protected areas. Not official, but enough to make it difficult. Plus, a lot of the water rights are already tied up. The state’s getting stricter on permits.”

Liam gave a short nod. “I figured, But he doesn’t care.”

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kill a project before it starts. Doesn’t matter what’s on the ground if you

Liam said. “He heard me. He just didn’t

“He’s not even planning a proper feasibility study. Just going off a flagged survey from a passing team? That’s desperation,

argue. He

him to fail. But if

nose. “He never blames

I guess we’ll see how much he’s willing to lose,” Izzy said, arms folded as she looked out the window. “Still… something about these feels off. Your father has been in business for years. He’s not new to this, not naive. If he really did his research, he would’ve seen

the road.

project,” she added.

glanced at her. “What are

going on. Maybe someone else is involved. This doesn’t feel like a decision based on data.

didn’t speak. He just tightened his

business. That was desperation.” She turned back

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you think of this?” Olivier said, holding the file out again. “Father, I told you, I am completely confident in this lot this time. A few of my contacts already made gains from similar deals last year. One of them flipped a claim in Nevada for

of the table, the file

cuff. “But there’s always a risk. No one profits by playing safe forever. Olivier couldn’t help but

away. He tapped his knuckles lightly on the edge of the table,

the pause as an opening, Olivier

brilliant insights on this project?” he asked, one

back in his chair. “It’s risky,”

strategy.

glass, held it for a moment, then set it back down. “You don’t know what’s on the

room. You can’t even show a basic level of respect–for me or my work. I don’t know

birthdays. Not school. Not when Mom died. So what exactly were you expecting from

Olivier’s expression hardened.

“Why would you expect to be invited to a wedding when you weren’t even there for the rest

still. His eyes flicked once toward Olivier, then back to the paper in front of him. “That is enough.”

“Father…”

back down, this time tapping the edge with a finger. “I’ll give you the money,”

“What

looked at him directly. “You’ll sign a contract. Six months. If you don’t show a return or at least secure another investor, you pay it back in full. With interest.”

opened his mouth to protest, but Philip

“So manage them. Treat this like the business you claim it is.”

Liam sign anything when he started his firm. You gave

flinch. “Liam paid me back three months later. In full. With profit. If I made

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“Or did you think everything should be handed to you just because you’re a Horvath?”

He looked down briefly, then back at his father, “Fine. Then

Philip didn’t respond.

turn a profit on this venture,” Olivier said, voice low, “I’m not paying a cent back. Nothing. That’s the deal.”

if you don’t?”

his head toward him. “Then I’ll pay back

paused against

“Then let’s gamble

leaned forward slightly. “You’ve

blink. “You said it yourself–this is a

answer immediately. He picked up the file again and

I want them signed by the end of the week.”

then gave a short nod.

what?” Izzy frowned.

deal with my grandfather. If he makes money off the lot, he keeps it all. If not,

you’re serious? He actually

nodded once. “I was sitting right there.”

stared ahead, silent for a few seconds.

said. “He’s always been like that. Disappears for months, then comes back with a new business idea or

at him. “And gave up?”

did with the money. But he also stopped trusting him. Stopped believing

about that Arizona project, but it just feels off. I’ve heard some chatter. The land isn’t exactly untouched. A few firms tried to explore it five, or six years ago. Most of them

but didn’t look over.

tape,” she continued. “Some zoning overlap with nearby protected areas. Not official, but enough to make it difficult. Plus, a lot of

nod. “I figured, But he

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said. “That’s the kind of thing that can kill a project before it starts. Doesn’t matter what’s on the ground if you

“He heard me. He just

“He’s not even planning a proper feasibility study. Just going off a flagged survey from a passing team?

He just

to fail. But if he does, he has no one to blame but himself.”

blames himself. It’s

much he’s willing to lose,” Izzy said, arms folded as she looked out the window. “Still… something about these feels off. Your father has been in business for years. He’s

his eyes on the

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in this lot this time. A few of my contacts already made gains from similar deals last year. One of them flipped a claim

seated at the head of the table, the file unopened

always a risk. No one profits by playing safe forever. Olivier couldn’t help but glance at Liam who was seated a few feet away from him. Luckily, that wife of his left!

knuckles lightly on the edge of the table, his eyes still on the papers

an opening, Olivier turned

on this project?” he asked, one brow slightly

“It’s risky,” he said.

“This isn’t gambling. It’s strategy.

it back down. “You don’t know what’s on the ground. You don’t have test results. You’re

even show a basic level of respect–for me or my work. I don’t know why I expected anything different from someone who didn’t even bother

up. Not birthdays. Not school. Not when Mom

Olivier’s expression hardened.