Mr. Villain's Lovely Wife

Lovely wife 216 What Can You Offer "So... once we get divorced, he's supposed to just marry Cassandra?" Izzy asked after a few minutes. "How certain are you that he would even consider that?" Olivier didn't even blink. "That is no longer your business." "Sounds more complicated. I think you are trying to assthat your son is dumb." Azzy set the envelope back on the table and crossed her arms. "What happens if I don't sign?" Olivier stepped closer. "You already know that actions have consequences. You should know what will happen if you refuse." Izzy smiled, not bothering to hide it this time. "Then you can all get out of here. I'm not signing it." The reaction was immediate. Olivier stiffened slightly, the first crack in his collected appearance. Cassandra and Celeste exchanged a quick look. It was Celeste who moved first, stepping forward, "Think carefully, Izzy," Celeste said. "You're not winning this. It's better if you step back before you get dragged down with him." Izzy didn't flinch. She kept her gaze steady on them, saying nothing.

Celeste waited for a beat, but when Izzy didn't speak, she took another step closer.

"Izzy," she said, "women like us are supposed to make sure the men we love are comfortable. That's what strength looks like. Knowing when to step aside." Izzy didn't move. She remembered having a conversation with Celeste once and already knew the kind of woman she was. Still, hearing her speak like that now almost made Izzy pity her. It made her want to say something, maybe even argue, but she stopped herself. Celeste was an adult. She had made her choice, and Izzy wasn't about to waste her breath.

Celeste pressed on. "If you really love Liam, you should know this is the best outcome. He gets out before the day even ends. He can be back in the boardroom tomorrow, taking back control before the damage gets worse." She motioned slightly toward the envelope still sitting between them. "This is a win-win. You get to see your beloved doing fine, and he gets a chance to rebuild everything without more scandal attached to his name, Without you being used against him." Izzy tapped the envelope lightly with one finger but didn't pick it up.

Celeste watched her carefully. "It's not about pride, Izzy. It's about being smart. You know what they'll do if you stay. You know who will get hurt the most." Izzy's lips curved slightly as she looked down at the envelope again.

"So this is the part where I'm supposed to believe I'm winning," she said.

1/3 What Can Your Offer "Yes," Celeste answered.

Izzy glanced up. "And what exactly am I winning? The joy of watching him smile on TV while I disappear from the story?" She let the question linger, her eyes shifting between them. Then she added, just casually enough to sound like a passing thought, "Because if that's all there is, I'm not sure the offer's worth much." "I knew it," Cassandra suddenly butted in. "She's just like most women." Celeste glanced at her but didn't interrupt.

Cassandra stepped forward, brushing an invisible crease from her coat sleeve. "You talk about love, about not signing because of feelings, but the truth is simple. You don't want to lose access. That's all this is." She looked directly at Izzy, her expression unreadable.

"Women like you cling to power through attachment. If someone offered you a better name, better money, and a cleaner path, you'd jump ships in a heartbeat." Inwardly, Cassandra felt no guilt for saying it. She didn't see it as petty. She saw it as truth. From her research, Isabella Rossi had always played the long game-her image carefully shaped to look effortless. But Cassandra had seen women like her before. Women who smiled pretty in public and calculated in private. And Isabella had always been after Liam Horvath's name, his position, and what cwith both. That much. had always been clear to her when she knew that Isabella Rossi was with Liam Horvath.

Loyalty was always conditional. Love, even more so.

Cassandra remembered the first tshe saw Liam. It wasn't in a boardroom or at sevent where their names were paired on a press release. It was at the red carpet premiere of a charity event-three years ago. She had been wearing that dark emerald gown with an open back. Everything was perfect that night. The moment she stepped out of the car and saw him under the flashes, she froze.

Not because of nerves, but because he looked untouchable. Calm, dressed in a classic black suit, not trying to impress anyone, just existing with the kind of confidence that didn't need applause. She had never frozen before. But she did then.

That was the moment she decided.

She would get him.

Sadly, he always kept his distance. She never saw him at another event. That was until that event a few weeks ago. Just as she thought she would finally have the chance to talk to him, Isabella Rossi appeared.

Then, as if fate wanted to humiliate her, he turned-and kissed Isabella Rossi in front of the cameras. Not a formal gesture. Not polite. A real kiss. The kind that made the tabloids spin for weeks. A kiss that answered every question she hadn't even asked 2/3 What Can You Offer yet.

From that second on, Isabella becmore than just a socialite with a wealthy name.

She becthe problem.

Cassandra blinked, pushing the memory aside.

"This isn't about love," she said plainly. "It's about control. You think if you hold out long enough, you'll win smoral ground. But there's nothing noble about keeping a man in prison for your own ego." Izzy's fingers drummed once on the envelope.

"So?" Isabella was tempted to roll her eyes. "What's with all this nonsense talk? If you want something then... isn't it fair that you give something in return?" she asked. Olivier narrowed his eyes at her. Isabella had been in the business world too long to be rattled by veiled threats and staged ultimatums. She wasn't reacting like someone who felt cornered. No, she looked like someone weighing options. Calculating. He always hated women like her. Someone who seemed to think that they knew better than him!

He hated that confidence-but he also understood it. It meant she was open to a deal. That was something he could work with. However, once this work on is over, he will definitely teach her a lesson she won't be able to forget. "What do you want?" he asked.

Izzy calmly leaned back and smiled. "What can you offer?" she retorted.

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