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 sof

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 tshe 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?”

“Sharp observation,” Liam said, cracking another egg into the pan. “You look like you need it.”

Izzy's jaw tightened. “I'm fine.”

He shot her a brief glance that suggested he wasn’t convinced. “Hungover on a weekday. Very professional.”

She glared at him, resisting the urge to stomp her foot like a child. “You could've said no to the wine.” “And miss

the entertainment?” he replied, smirking as he plated he eggs. “Not a chance.”

clenched her teeth, refusing to rise to the bait. “You know how to cook?” she asked.

“I have been cooking your lunch, and you still wonder if | know how to cook?” he retorted.

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Chapter 42

“You made that food?” she asked.

He said nothing. Instead, he took something from the fridge, poured her a glass, and handed it to her. “For your

hangover.”

She lifted an eyebrow and stared at the yellowish liquid. It smelled like lemon, but there was something else,

“It has turmeric that | activated with a little bit of black pepper. has honey, ginger, and freshly squeezed lemon

juice. The honey is all-natural from Hawaii. If you're interested, | could get you more.”

Izzy blinked. Then she blinked again before she accepted the glass. “Thanks.” Seriously, that was all she could

say.

“Eat,” he said. Now, that wasn’t a suggestion. It was an order.

Izzy glanced down at the plate in front of her and blinked. It wasn’t just eggs and toast. There was a bow! 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. A side of perfectly toasted whole-

grain bread completed the spread. The presentation was neat and borderline professional

“You made soup!” she asked, incredulous, picking up the spoon. How did he find the tto make one?

Liam sat across from her, resting his forearms on the table. “It’s a simple miso broth,” he said. “It's good for your

stomach. You're welcome.”

Izzy scooped a small spoonful, the warmth spreading through her as she tasted it. It was light but flavorful, a far

cry from anything she’d manage on her own. “This is unexpected.”

“You're welcagain,” he said, leaning back slightly.

She ignored his comment and took another sip of the soup, her headache already starting to fade. After a few

moments, she glanced up. “Why are you still here? Don’t you have meetings or | don’t know, a business empire

to run?”

Liam raised an eyebrow, picking up his own coffee mug. “I rescheduled,” he said simply.

“You? Rescheduled?” She paused, suspicious. “Why?”

“It's only right for a husband to stay and take care of his wife,” he replied, his expression unreadable.

Izzy nearly choked on her toast. She quickly 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 gwas he playing

now?

She shoved another piece of toast into her mouth, focusing on chewing to avoid looking at him. The silence

stretched between them, broken only by the faint clink of her spoon against the bowl

“You shouldn't drink so much,” Liam said suddenly, breaking the quiet.

Izzy 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 cout. Finally, she settled on

silence, letting the weight of the moment linger.

When she spoke again, her voice was steadier. “Did you even eat breakfast, or are you just playing chef today?”

She set her spoon down and folded her arms, her gaze narrowing slightly. What's with all this... effort?”

Liam smirked faintly, leaning forward to rest his elbows on the ble. “Why does it bother you?”

“Because it's weird,” she shot back. “You're not usually... like this

“Like what?” he asked, tilting his head slightly, his expression annoyingly calm

“Domestic,” she said, gesturing at the table. “This-cooking, drinks, making sure | eat. It's-She paused, searching

for the

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Chapter 42

right word. “Out of character.”

Liam's smirk deepened, but he didn’t immediately respond. Instead, he took another sip of his coffee, his gaze

steady on hers. “Maybe you don’t knowas well as you think you do.”

Izzy rolled her eyes, leaning back in her chair. “Don’t start with the cryptic answers. Just say whatever it is you're

trying to

say

“I'm not trying to say anything.” he replied, finishing his coffee and setting the mug down with deliberate care.

“I'm just taking care of my wife. That's all.”

Izzy didn’t know whether to feel irritated or unsettled by his words. She picked up her spoon again, focusing on

the soup instead of his maddeningly calm demeanor. She ate as she tried to decipher his motives. Was this some

kind of power play! A way to throw her off balance? Or was he genuinely trying to... what? Be nice?

“Don’t overthink it,” Liam said suddenly as if reading her mind. He stood and picked up his mug, moving toward

the sink. “Just eat. You'll feel better.”

Izzy glared at his back as he rinsed the mug. “You're acting weird

He turned slightly, glancing over his shoulder. “Maybe you're just not used to being taken care of.”

The comment hit deeper than she expected, leaving her momentarily speechless. By the tshe gathered

herself enough to respond, he was already walking out of the kitchen. The sound of his footsteps faded down the

hallway, leaving her alone with her half-empty plate and far too many unanswered questions.