His Wicked Obsession (Archer and Virginia) novel Chapter 138

As soon as he finished speaking, Chloe quickly calmed down. A hint of a smile appeared on her face as she pressed it against his chest. He hadn't sworn an oath, but she knew him. Forcing those words out of him was hard enough; she couldn't push her luck. Furthermore, he always kept his word. The next day, around 4:00 PM, Virginia received a call from Madeline. She asked Virginia to meet her at a cafe not far from the clinic, claiming she wanted to talk. Virginia changed into an off-white ruffled blouse paired with light gray straight-leg trousers. With her hair draped casually down her back and no makeup on, she arrived at the location. When she got there, Madeline was already seated by the window. She wore a custom Chanel jacket and a South Sea gold pearl necklace. With exquisite makeup and perfect maintenance, the fifty-year-old woman looked no older than forty. "You're here, Virginia. Take a seat." Madeline gestured for her to sit, then waved at a waiter. "Another hot oat milk latte, please." Virginia sat down, called her "Mom," and then stayed silent, not offering any resistance. Madeline didn't rush either. She chatted about recent events, asking if work was busy and how Cindy was doing, acting just like a normal mother. Before long, Madeline picked up her coffee, took a sip, set the cup down, and cut to the chase. "Yesterday, Chloe had a breakdown when she got home. She was throwing a fit all night." The hand Virginia was using to hold her coffee paused. "Mom, what are you trying to say?" Madeline sighed. "You know Chloe's condition. Her... mental state is extremely unstable right now. Doctor White must have told you that she cannot be triggered. Virginia, I know you're a good kid. Can you promise me that you won't appear in front of their family again?" Her words caught Virginia off guard. "What do you mean, not appear in front of their family again?" she blurted out. "Well, Cindy and Toby are in the same class, so it's inevitable that you'll cross paths. But with Chloe's condition... she's bound to overthink things." Madeline paused, continuing as if she had Virginia's best interests at heart. "Here's what I'm thinking. Have Cindy transfer schools. Don't worry, your dad and I will use our connections to find an upscale kindergarten for her. We definitely won't shortchange her..." "A new environment for Cindy will be better for you, and better for everyone," Madeline smiled, playing the doting mother. "It's hard raising a kid on your own. We'll prioritize kindergartens close to your clinic for you to choose from." Her reasoning sounded thorough, and her attitude was mild, but the core message was clear: she wanted Virginia and Cindy to vanish from Chloe's world. A chill ran through Virginia's heart. She set her coffee cup down, her voice steady enough to hide any emotion. "Mom, it took me six months of research to choose Cindy's current kindergarten. Whether it's the teaching staff, the curriculum, or the facilities, it's the best in the city." "More importantly, Cindy just got used to it. Transferring her now would do her no good. So, no. I won't agree." Madeline's smile froze for a moment. Before she could speak, Virginia continued. "If you think it's inconvenient for the two kids to go to school together, you can transfer Toby. After all, the only reason Toby ended up at this kindergarten was because you guys wanted Cindy to help look after him." "Virginia!" "Also," Virginia added, her expression unchanging, "with the Vanderbilt and Caldwell families' resources, finding a better kindergarten for Toby shouldn't be difficult."