Mr. Villain's Lovely Wife

Chapter 185 ☐☐84% "Well, I didn't think it would be this beautiful," Izzy smiled as she looked at her appearance in the mirror. The black dress suited her, and not because of her body type but because of her pale skin.

+13 The black dress hugged Izzy's frin all the right places. The fabric, a matte silk blend, clung smoothly over her hips and dipped slightly at the back, revealing just enough skin to make the design elegant rather than loud.

A single slit ran up her left leg, stopping just above the knee. The neckline was clean, structured, and minimal-no embellishments, no glitter. Just pure tailoring. The contrast against her pale skin made the dress stand out even more.

She studied herself in the mirror for a moment longer.

Too bad Liam's late, she thought. He had called earlier, sounding genuinely apologetic. Something about a last- minute investor call. He promised to catch up as soon as possible.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to say it like that," Izzy said when she realized that Cindy was staring at her. Cindy had been really quiet when she helped her with the dress, which Izzy appreciated as well.

"No, it's fine. The dress looks even more beautiful on you," Cindy said.

"Too bad Liam's late," Izzy couldn't help but voice her thoughts.

Behind her, Cindy leaned against the wall, arms loosely crossed. "You could cwith me, if you want," she said. "You can't just sit here all night in a dress like that.” Izzy turned and met her gaze. "Thanks. But I'd rather wait for Liam." Cindy stepped forward, adjusted a stray strand of Izzy's hair, and took a step back to assess her. "It's a pity if no one sees this. It fits you better than I imagined." Izzy glanced at her reflection again before speaking. "Why are you being so accommodating?"Cindy already offended a well known actress. Now, she wanted Izzy to accompany her to the veneu. Izzy couldn't help but think that something else is going on. Did Liam overpaid Cindy? "I doubt it's just because Liam paid for the dress." Cindy blinked, then straightened. "Well... he was the first to invest in my early collections. Not just buying dresses or anything like that-he funded the production. I wouldn't have made it through my first two shows without him. And you're the first woman he's ever brought to an event like this. So... yes, I may have given you a little extra care. It felt right." Izzy was quiet for a second, absorbing that. Then it clicked, She remembered Z's being listed as one of the subsidiaries under Horvath Industries. Liam's portfomust have reached further than she realized.

She smiled faintly. "Alright. I'll go with you." She pulled out her phone and sent a quick text to Liam. Heading to the venue with Cindy. Will see you there. Cindy handed her a small clutch to match the dress, then grabbed her own things.

They exited the stuthrough the back and climbed into a sleek black car waiting near the alley. The venue was only five minutes away, so the ride didn't take that long.

Soon enough, the car pulled up to the venue entrance, where photographers were already gathered along the red carpet. As soon as Cindy stepped out, flashes began to go off. Cameras clicked rapidly, calling out her name. When Izzy followed behind her, a few of the photographers shifted their attention toward her, snapping pictures of them together.

Cindy didn't slow down. She was probably used to this kind of attention, walking with confidence as if the flashing cameras didn't exist. Izzy followed her lead. She wasn't used to attending high-profile events with this much media coverage, but she managed to stay calm and keep a pleasant smile on her face. Most of the buzz was clearly for the designer, but just standing beside her was enough to draw attention-and Izzy could feel the weight of every glance.

Inside, the atmosphere shifted. The space was sleek, lit with ambient lighting, and filled with the soft hum of conversation. Waitstaff moved around with trays of champagne, and large floral arrangements marked the entrance of the main hall. But there was one thing that caught Izzy off guard.

Nothing had started yet.

Izzy checked the ton her phone. The event should've begun thirty minutes ago.

Mondo approached them from the far side of the room and offered a small nod to both women.

"Miss Rossi," he said, "welcome. You're seated in the VIP section." "Why hasn't it started yet?" Izzy asked.

Mondo kept his voice low. "There's a minor issue with the launch presentation. Mr. Horvath is still finishing a meeting with the project partners. Since he's the special guest, they're holding off until he arrives." Cindy raised an eyebrow but didn't comment. She glanced around, clearly recognizing more than a few of the people in the room.

Izzy scanned the space too. Several well-known actors and actresses were present. She spotted a few she remembered from Cecil's articles. Closer to the bar, she noticed a cluster of familiar faces from the corporate world-executives, investors, and even a couple of founders she had seen at past summits.

But there was no sign of Calen.

Or Pamella, Good, Izzy thought, taking a glass of champagne from a passing tray. She turned toward the VIP section Mondo had indicated. Before she could step forward, Cindy paused beside her.

"I'm going to say hello to a few friends," Cindy said. "I believe I am seated not too far away from you and Mr. Horvath. I'll see you later," Izzy gave a small nod. "Alright." She continued on her own, making her way toward the designated seat Mondo had pointed out, and took her place among the other VIP guests.

The ambiance inside the venue remained calm, almost too polished. Soft instrumental music played through the speakers, and the guests continued chatting in small groups, sipping-champagne and glancing occasionally toward the stage.

Izzy sat quietly, phone in hand, about to send another message to Liam.

Then she heard it-murmurs, a slight shift in the crowd's energy. She looked up.

People near the entrance had started moving closer to the front doors. Sstood on their toes, others leaned sideways to get a better look. Phones were out. Cameras, too.

Cindy returned to her side, champagne glass in hand. "Looks like the special guests are just arriving," she said. Izzy nodded and stood up. "Let's take a look." Together, they made their way toward the growing crowd, stopping just before the main entrance where event staff had started guiding people back.

Meanwhile, outside the venue, Liam sat in the backseat of his car, one hand resting on his knee.

"Everything ready?" he asked.

"Yes, sir," the driver said. "Your team's already inside. They're waiting. The launch visuals are ready. Most of the VIPs have arrived. Miss Rossi is already inside as well." Liam nodded.

The driver immediately exited the car. Moments later, Liam's door was opened by a staff member. He m stepped out, buttoníng his jacket, only to be greeted by a sudden burst of camera flashes. The media had already gathered at the edge of the entrance platform.

He squinted slightly and frowned. This wasn't the kind of entrance he wanted. He had hoped to just get inside, find Izzy, and stay close to her. Instead, he was now being ushered onto a carpet lined with photographers. As he was about to take a step forward, someone spoke behind him.

"Mr. Horvath?" He turned.

A woman in a fitted cream dress approached, her heels clicking sharply against the stone floor. She held her chin high and smiled as if she knew him.

"I'm Cass Sarano," she said. "I just wanted to thank you personally for choosingas the face of the hotel launch."

Liam stared at her for a beat. He recognized the name. The face. He had seen her on promotional material NO but hadn't paid much attention at the time. He didn't personally handle that side of the campaign. His driver leaned in slightly and whispered, "She's a well-known actress. Her last film did really well. The PR team picked her as the spokesperson. Marketing said she was the right fit." Liam gave a tight nod, already turning to respond to Cass- But Cass suddenly stumbled forward.

Her heel caught on the uneven flooring near the carpet edge. She lost her balance and fell right into Liam.

Photographers went wild. Flashbulbs lit up the moment.

Liam instinctively caught her by the elbow before she could completely fall into him.

Cindy and Izzy, still near the entrance inside, heard the gasps and stepped closer to the doors, just in tto see the scene unfold.

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