Mr. Villain's Lovely Wife

Chapter 194 Izzy wiped her tears away before she walked inside a bar. She wasn't crying because she got hurt. She was crying because she was too angry. She wanted to hurt someone, and that someone happened to be her father- in-law. Well, she shouldn't be calling that man her father in law. He simply doesn't deserve it! She had already booked a boxing session with a gym that she knew, but that wasn't enough. She let out a sigh. The bar was quiet, almost sterile in the daylight. No blaring music. No crowd. Just the faint hum of the refrigerator behind the counter and the flick of the bartender's rag as he wiped down glasses. Sunlight filtered in through the windows, catching dust motes in the air. It wasn't the kind of place meant for midday visits, which was exactly why Izzy had chosen it.

She pushed open the door with more force than necessary, her jaw tight, her eyes still burning. Her heels clicked against the floor as she walked to the counter and slid into a seat without a word.

The bartender looked up. "Something light?" Izzy didn't hesitate. “Whiskey. Neat." He raised an eyebrow but didn't ask questions. He poured the drink and set it down in front of her.

She didn't bother with a thank-you. She grabbed the glass and took a long drink, the burn grounding her just enough to keep her hands from shaking.

Her phone vibrated again. The screen lit up with Calen's name.

She turned it over.

It vibrated again. Persistent. She let it ring until it stopped. Then again. Still him.

She picked it up briefly, hit "Cancel," and dropped it back on the bar like it had personally offended her. She told him she was sick this morning. He should've left her alone.

She took another sip, this one slower, letting the silence sink in as her thoughts spiraled.

Olivier Horvath.

She hated the way his words replayed in her mind. The smirk on his face. The way he spoke about Liam was like he was sproduct of rot. Like Izzy hadn't seen the man he became. Like Liam hadn't clawed his way out of something foul just to breathe clean air.

She set the glass down hard.

Liam. God.

What kind of father says that about his own son? She remembered the way Liam looked that night-drunk, hollow. It made sense now. Olivier had put those words in his head. And worse, he meant them. He wasn't just being cruel. He believed them.

She clenched her jaw. If Olivier had been in front of her now, she would've punched that smug, punchable face. Another sip. Her gaze dropped to her hands. They weren't shaking anymore.

She tried to think-tried to step back and see Liam as clearly as she always had. And she did. She saw the kid who lingered around her grandfather's office every chance he got. She saw him fixing up shelves or listening to her grandfather's lectures about hard work and patience. He never bragged about it. He never even mentioned it.

1/3 10:23 Sun, 6 Apr Chapter 194 +58) But he'd been there. Even when she hadn't.

If Liam had grown up around Olivier, he would've turned into something entirely different. Cold. Corrupt. Just like the man who raised him. But he hadn't. He grew up watching her grandfather and even his own, learning from their actions, not their mistakes.

She tilted the glass and finished the rest of the whiskey.

Just as she set the empty glass down she noticed the door behind her opened but was too busy on her thoughts to look at who walked inside the bar.

Then a voice from behind her interrupted her stupor. "Well, this is a coincidence,” he said. “I'm starting to think you're following me." Izzy stiffened and slowly turned, her eyes narrowing.

Frederik.

She immediately frowned. "Why are you here?" she asked. She didn't expect that the first one that would show themselves would be Frederik.

"I should be asking you the squestion. A bar? Whiskey in the middle of the day?" He chuckled and sat on the stool next to her. "What made you so upset?" "That is none of your business." "Well... you are right," Frederik leaned back on the stool, his fingers tapping the counter. “I have to admit, I didn't expect you and Mr. Horvath to be this... close. But I guess it makes sense now." He raised his hand, signaling the bartender. "I'll have whatever she's having." Izzy frowned, her eyes narrowing. "What's that supposed to mean?" Why is he suddenly talking about Liam? Frederik glanced at her, then shrugged. "Liam Horvath made it clear he didn't like me. Especially after we met in Macau." Izzy let out a quiet snort and waved at the bartender for another glass.

Frederik continued, “But I didn't think Mr. Horvath himself would go so far. Targetingdirectly? Is he really that insecure? Or... did you tell him to do it?" "You're insane," Izzy muttered without glancing at him. "What does any of this have to do with me?" Frederik's drink arrived. He took a sip without hesitation, then set the glass down. “I don't appreciate being ambushed. Especially by people I barely know." Izzy didn't answer right away. She pressed her lips together, then finally spoke. “Whatever Liam did, it has nothing to do with me." Frederik raised an eyebrow. He turned slightly on the stool, watching her. His stare was sharp, but she didn't flinch.

After a long second, Izzy slid her glass forward. "Put it on his tab," she told the bartender, nodding toward Frederik.

She stood up, grabbing her bag. "Let's not do this again. It'd be nice if we didn't see each other anymore. Your presence is enough to ruin the rest of my week."

Frederik smiled as he leaned forward, resting his elbow on the counter. m "Then you might want to check your calendar. We'll see each other at the board meeting next week. Or did you forget about that?" Izzy didn't respond. She turned and walked toward the door, leavin him with his drink and a faint smirk still playing on his 2/3 Sun, 6 Apr Chapter 194 face.

77% 58 "Drako..." Frederik muttered. Almost immediately, a tall man approached him. "You said... Isabella Rossi cfrom Olivier Horvath's office, right?" "Yes, sir."

Frederik nodded. While he was busy because of what Liam had done to his company he had people following Izzylaround. Because of this, he practically knew where she went despite not seeing her.

"First, Olivier pays his son a visit.

Then his son ends up drunk at a public event. Now Isabella goes to see Olivier and ends up in a bar, E drinking whiskey in the middle of the day," he said, grinning. This was getting more entertaining by the minute. "Shall we add more chaos?" He looked at Drako, who smiled, showing his teeth made of gold. "Yes, sir," Drako said.

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