Mr. Villain's Lovely Wife

Lovely wife 225 The Sarano Family Tezy eat with her back straight at the car totted through the streets, the city blurring past the tinted windows Her fingers clutched the edge of the folder Liam had handed her. She hadn't spoken again since the word "overdose cout of his Prouth Not un n "Overdose" the said "Liam- He didn't answer instead, he reached forward and tapped the cover of the folder other lap Izzy wasted no tand opened it The first page was a summary sheet Cassandra Sarano-age twenty seven, current contracts, former representation records, undisclosed settlements. Izzy's brow furrowed as her eyes scanned the contents.

The next few pages were photos Blurred shots of Cassandra sitting beside middle aged men at private resorts Hotel lobbies Yacht decks Always a different man. Always the suncomfortable body language ity turned to the next page emails Redacted names, but the tone was obvious "She's not responding to the governor's request. Fix it." "She said she doesn't want to do older men again. Tell her it's non-negotiable" izzy blinked "This-this is real?" Liam nodded once, watching her from across the seat. "All verified. I made sure." Another page. This ta scanned ledger. Payouts to booking agents. Withdrawals tied to cash-heavy shell companies. Names of rising artists with footnotes. "Removed from agency." "Dropped." "Went silent." She turned another page. There was a face she recognized. A girl who had gone viral two years ago before vanishing overnight. Izzy looked at the caption. Melinda Wei, Nineteen. Pulled from a studeal mid-contract. "She was one of them?" "She refused to play along," Liam said. "Cass made sure she'd never work again." Izzy didn't speak. She turned another page. There were screenshots now. Cassandra texting someone. "He said twenty grand for one night. Not touching her. Just appearance. Should I say yes?" "Selling them?" Izzy asked. "To politicians?" "She brokered them," Liam said. "New artists. Girls who just signed. Sboys too, if they looked right." Izzy's mouth was dry. "How did she get away with it?" Liam sat back, folding his arms. "The Sarano family." She froze. Her eyes snapped to him. "Wait. The Saranos? The ones from Italy? Liam nodded again. "The real ones. Not the celebrity brand she plays with. The ones that run port cities and handle half of Europe's private contracting" izzy looked down at the file again. "Cassandra's Italian?" No She turned her head toward him.

"She was born Cassandra Jones. American. Her parents were both in finance. Dead now." Liam leaned forward slightly, elbow on his knee. "Her maternal grandmother was Sarano blood. A cousin. Distant, not on the main line. But it was enough. The Don claims her? Izzy's thoughts raced. She flipped back to the first page, reading it again. "So she used them to get in? To stay protected?" "She didn't just use them, Liam said. "They used her too. She helped launder money through endorsements and media firms. Her agency paid out favors. Half the fake contracts were just fronts for intel." "She was trafficking influence, Izzy muttered. "In entertainment." "She weaponized it, Liam added. "She made it look like success. Fashion Charity galas. Meanwhile, every girl who stepped out of line disappeared or signed NDAs in exchange for their safety." Izzy stared at the papers in her lap. It all felt too big. Too coordinated.

"Why now?" she asked. "Why bring her down r Successfully unlocked! stice? No. Izzy knew Liam better than that. Liam looked out the window. "Because she carrie after you.

Izzy didn't say anything for a long time. She stared down at a document showing wired payments from a Sarano- linked consultancy to Cassandra's production house. There was a note in the margin: Keep her quiet. Blhim. Shift heat away from Naples.

1/3 The Sarano Family Izzy turned the page again. Her hands were steady, but her stomach felt tight. Another document listed a string of shell companies, all routed through dummy LLCS in Malta, Belize, and Luxembourg. Each one funneled money into Cassandra's talent agency. At the bottom of the sheet was a redacted line with two words still visible: Johnson Group.

She looked up. "Pamella Johnson?" Liam nodded slightly. "We've seen overlaps in banking transactions. Nothing conclusive, but she's linked." Izzy flipped to the next page. A photo. Pamella stepping out of a private jet with Cassandra behind her. Both were smiling.

"Cassandra worked with her?" "She worked with someone close to her. That part's unclear. But there's more." He pulled another file from his briefcase and handed it over. Izzy opened it. The first non the page stopped her. Frederik Vasili.

She looked at Liam.

"We're not sure yet," he said. "But there are whispers. Sof Cassandra's clients-especially the big ones-were previously tied to Frederik's firm. And one of his family's holding companies helped finance one of her productions last year." Izzy flipped the page. A still frfrom a gala. Cassandra speaking with an older man. Her eyes narrowed. "Gregory Vasili." "He's not on paper. But he was there. Three security analysts confirmed it. He left through the rear with one of Cassandra's staff. Less than twenty minutes before footage cut out." Izzy sat back. "So this... this overdose thing-" "It's a cleanup," Liam said. "She was getting messy. Either she's being removed or repositioned. Either way, it's not about her anymore." Izzy looked at him, eyes narrowing. "Why are you doing this?" Liam tilted his head.

"I'm serious," she said. "If I had known this was connected to the Mafia, I never would've agreed to use her. You're picking a fight with people who don't stop until someone disappears."