His Wicked Obsession (Archer and Virginia) novel Chapter 167

"Ginny?" The blonde leaned in close, yanking her out of her memories. "Your face is super red, are you okay?"

"...It's just hot in here."

Virginia set her coffee cup down, entirely mortified.

The blonde gave her a knowing look but mercifully didn't push. Instead, she looped her arm through Virginia's and led her out. "Come on, it's pretty slow right now. Let me give you the grand tour."

The UK Branch couldn't compare to the corporate headquarters back home in scale, but it had all the vital departments.

The product showroom displayed several smart home terminals. Virginia didn't recognize two of the models from the States; they were likely custom builds specifically designed for the Northern European market.

"The Boss personally greenlit this series last year. Europe has brutally strict privacy laws, so our domestic framework wouldn't fly here. He spent six solid months building a completely new product line from the ground up."

The blonde's expression was uncharacteristically serious, her eyes brimming with sheer reverence for Archer.

She paused, then tilted her head with an eager, gossipy glint. "Ginny, give it to me straight. What exactly is the deal between you and Mr. Vanderbilt?"

Virginia traced her finger along the curved surface of a display unit before pulling her hand back.

Knowing the woman meant no harm, she hesitated briefly before replying, "We used to be together. We broke up a few years ago."

The blonde's jaw dropped. She couldn't help but sigh, "That's such a shame."

Virginia smiled softly but stayed silent.

At the end of the hallway was Archer's private office. The door was left half-open.

He was sitting at his desk, typing rapidly on his laptop.

He wore a dark grey turtleneck beneath an unbuttoned black woolen blazer.

A Patek Philippe watch rested understatedly on his left wrist, while his familiar prayer beads adorned the right.

Hearing footsteps, Archer looked up.

His gaze skimmed right past the blonde and landed squarely on Virginia's face, lingering for a second.

Just as Virginia turned to leave with the woman, his voice called out from inside, "I'm heading out to meet a client shortly. Come with me."

Virginia had no desire to go.

But then he added, "The meeting is at the golf course."

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify