Mr. Villain's Lovely Wife

Lovely wife 221

Pressure

"What should I do now?" Cassandra Sarano muttered as she paced her

apartment, her voice sharp and tired. Her large panda eyes reflected in the mirror she passed. Since receiving the news of that announcement last night,

Cassandra had been tense. She barely slept. She barely even ate.

She punched another number into her phone and pressed it against her ear, waiting.

It rang. And rang. No one answered.

She cursed under her breath and tried again. She circled the living room, stepping over piles of clothes she hadn't bothered to pick up last night. Her hand tightened around the phone. She called again, stubbornly Still nothing.

Then the door to her apartment slammed open. Cassandra nearly dropped her phone as she turned.

Her manager Lianne stormed in, face twisted in fury. "Are you out of your mind?" Cassandra scowled. "What the hell are you doing barging in here?"

"What the hell are you doing hiding here?" the manager snapped back, throwing a folder onto the coffee table. "Do you have any idea what's going on outside? Do you have any idea what you've done?"

Cassandra tossed her phone onto the couch and crossed her arms. "It's not like that-"

"What were you thinking, accusing Liam Horvath?" her manager shouted. "Do you even understand the consequences of your actions? This isn't some tabloid stunt! This is defamation. It's a felony if they push it! They have proof, Cassandra! They're going to destroy you!"

Cassandra pressed her lips together, fighting the urge to scream. "I thought he would be pressured into marrying me," she said finally, her voice cracking. "Pressured into marrying you?" Her manager stared at her like she had lost her mind. "In what world," the woman said, stabbing a finger toward her, "in what world does a man marry a woman because of pressure? What is this, the 1970s? The '80s? You think a lawsuit would make Liam Horvath propose to you?"

Cassandra glared at her. "It wasn't supposed to go this far."

The manager let out a sharp laugh. "Oh, it went far, alright. You just buried your career six feet under! It was clear that it was you who tipped the media off about that 'arrest' that wasn't really an arrest! What were you thinking Cass?"

the back of the chair for support. She squeezed it

in her ear, steady and convincing. Trust me, Cassandra. Accuse him. The world will believe you, your millions of fans will help you. I'll handle the rest. I'll support you. He had promised her a seat in several upcoming international films. He promised her that Horvath Holdings' media branches would promote her career. He even slipped her a packet of documents- shares in a smaller entertainment company tied to Horvath Holdings. It looked clean. It

the money, he had told her. It's about securing your future. If Isabella is out of the way, the board will need a fresh face beside Liam. Someone like you. You'll

for the fame or the

down around her, the plan sounded

her hair in frustration. "Do you realize you signed your name on that statement? You can't just say you changed your mind now. If Horvath's legal team files, you're looking at a career- ending lawsuit. And jail, Cassandra. Actual

gritted her teeth. "I didn't have

a choice! You chose wrong. And now you have about two hours to figure out

but she forced herself to stay calm. She still had Olivier. He wouldn't abandon her. Not after everything he

least, she hoped he

word, she snatched her phone off the couch and dialed again. This time,

She was calling Olivier.

owed her that

manager didn't give her time to breathe. She stepped closer, jabbing a finger toward

fans to stop attacking

Pressure

head snapped up. "Why

don't, you're going to lose everything." Her manager threw another folder onto the

dropped. She grabbed the folder with shaking hands and flipped it open. Email after email. Termination notices. Public relations

looked up,

folding her arms. "The company is thinking

voice cracked.

they will if

struggled to find her voice. "I thought-I thought Isabella would divorce Liam. I thought when she saw the news about me and him... she would think he cheated and leave." Her manager let out a harsh breath and pinched the bridge of her

a second!" her manager snapped. She stepped closer, lowering her voice like she was explaining something to a child. "That night? The so-called 'dinner' they

head.