Mr. Villain's Lovely Wife (Izzy and Liam) novel Chapter 238

2 Years Later

The garden was quiet, except for the light hum of bees and the occasional flutter of petals falling from the vines above. The entire greenhouse was filled with flowers, blooming in layers of color. Some hung from overhead trellises, others stretched along the stone path leading to a wooden bench near the center. It smelled like jasmine, and something citrusy.

Izzy stirred awake. She had been dozing again.

Her hand went to her stomach first, out of instinct. The movement was slow. Her belly was massive now. Eight months in. Twins. She let out a breath and adjusted herself on the bench.

Anna stood nearby, “You fell asleep again,” she said.

“I’m always asleep,” Izzy muttered. “And awake. And then asleep again. And then hungry. Then not. Then I want to lie down, but I can’t. Because this—” she gestured at her belly, “—has made it impossible to sleep on my back. Or my side. Or anywhere that isn’t a float tank.”

Anna handed her a glass. The tea was cold. Refreshing.

Izzy sipped it. “You put the thing in it again.”

“The lemon balm? Yes. Helps with circulation.”

“And swelling?”

“Somewhat.”

Izzy nodded. She didn’t complain again.

“Do you want to take a bath?” Anna asked.

Izzy looked down at her legs. Swollen feet. Again. “I want to sleep.”

Anna raised an eyebrow.

“Yes, I know I just woke up. That’s not the point.”

Izzy shifted forward slowly and got to her feet. The movement was practiced now. A hand on the bench for support, another cradling her belly.

She looked around.

The greenhouse was Liam’s gift. After everything happened, he built this place. Or more accurately, he hired a team to design it exactly to her preferences. Every flower had a purpose. Some were just for color. Others for scent. Others had meanings.

The paths were wide enough for her to walk through even now, at her most inconvenient size. The benches were padded. The shade cloth overhead filtered the sun just right.

She turned slowly. She walked.

The babies moved. She placed both hands over her stomach and sighed.

“Remind me,” she said. “Why did I think twins were cute again?”

Anna chuckled. “Because you didn’t know what it meant.”

“Right.”

She kept walking, one slow step at a time, surrounded by blooms that didn’t judge her waddling pace.

The world was quiet now. At least in this part of it.

“Did something happen while I was sleeping?” she asked.

Anna nodded.

“Ian Morcant. Life imprisonment. They sentenced him this morning. All the evidence—his ties with Ramon, the illegal accounts—it all held up.”

Izzy didn’t respond at once. She simply stared ahead. Anna hadn’t informed her earlier because she didn’t asked her. Liam told Anna not to update her about these things unless, she specifically asked for it.

“So he gets to rot,” she murmured. “And Ramon… he got the easy way out.”

Anna didn’t disagree.

“Explosion was too fast,” Izzy added. “He should’ve suffered.”

“Well,” Anna said. “The world has its own ways. And Blackwell Group finally acquired Rossi Group. It’s official. Along with Weiss Inc., it’s now the largest company in Europe.”

Before Izzy could respond, a voice echoed behind her.

“Discussing business even while pregnant?”

Izzy turned. Liam’s grandfather stood by the archway, cane in hand, a soft smirk playing at his mouth.

“Grandfather,” she said. “How are you here?”

“Stopping by before I fly to Venice,” he said. “Vacation. Three weeks. Figured I’d see you now, before you give birth. Which might be… any minute now, judging by that stomach.”

“Have fun,” she said.

Another voice chimed in from the side. “You look blooming, Izzy. I mean, considering you’re about to give birth.”

Maria stepped into view, a tablet tucked under her arm.

Mr. Horvath chuckled. “This is an anomaly. Heavily pregnant, but still talking about acquisitions. I wish my own son had that drive. Alas… Olivier is nothing but a greedy bastard.”

Izzy snorted. “He’s still in Indonesia, isn’t he?”

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