Mr. Villain's Lovely Wife

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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

him,” Liam said. “He heard me. He just didn’t listen.”

arms across her chest. “He’s not even planning a proper feasibility study. Just going off a flagged survey from a

He just kept driving.

want him to fail. But if he does, he has no one to

through his nose. “He never blames himself. It’s always

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

on the road. He didn’t argue.

think he understands this project,” she

her. “What are you getting

involved. This doesn’t feel like a decision based on data. It feels like he’s being pushed.

tightened his grip

he made with your grandfather? That wasn’t business. That was desperation.” She turned back toward him. “If he’s hiding something, you need to find out what it is. Before this turns into something

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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

head of the table,

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

of the table, his eyes still on the papers in front

opening,

Any brilliant insights on this project?”

chair. “It’s risky,”

isn’t gambling. It’s strategy. Do you even know

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.

act like you’re the smartest one in the room. You can’t even show a basic level of respect–for me

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

Olivier’s expression hardened.

to a wedding when you weren’t even there for the rest of my

still. His eyes flicked once toward Olivier, then back to the paper in front of him.

“Father…”

a finger. “I’ll give you the money,” he said. “But

straightened. “What condition?”

contract. Six months. If you don’t show a return or at least secure another investor, you pay

his mouth to protest, but Philip held up

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

when he started

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

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“Or did you think everything should

looked down briefly, then back at his father, “Fine. Then let’s raise the

Philip didn’t respond.

said, voice low, “I’m not paying a cent back.

if you

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

paused against

Olivier added. “Then let’s gamble all the

forward slightly. “You’ve

“You said it yourself–this is a bet. So I’m betting on myself.”

immediately. He picked up the file again and slowly flipped it

“Both versions. I want them signed by the

gave a

what?” Izzy

grandfather. If he makes money off

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

once. “I was sitting right

for a few

new business idea or some investment he wants funded. Grandfather used to argue with him. Then eventually he just stopped

over at him. “And gave

his own,” Liam said. “Stopped caring about what he did with the money. But he also stopped trusting him. Stopped believing him.

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

raised an eyebrow but didn’t look over.

protected areas. Not official, but enough to make

“I figured, But he doesn’t care.”

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the kind of thing that can kill a project before it starts.

said. “He heard me. He

proper feasibility study.

didn’t argue. He just kept

window. “It’s not that I want him to fail. But if he does, he

blames himself. It’s always someone

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 how unstable this venture

on the road. He

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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.”

at the head of the table, the file unopened

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

his knuckles lightly on the edge of the table,

as an opening, Olivier turned toward

Any brilliant insights on this

“It’s risky,” he said. “I

“This isn’t gambling. It’s strategy. Do you even know the

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

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

up. Not birthdays. Not school. Not when

Olivier’s expression hardened.