His Wicked Obsession (Archer and Virginia) novel Chapter 186

Hearing the commotion, Cindy popped her head over the back of the sofa. When she saw who it was, her eyes instantly widened with joy. "Mr. Archer!?"

Then, the little girl tilted her head, her huge eyes filling with utter confusion. "Mr. Archer, why are you all dripping wet?"

Looking at Cindy, the storm in Archer's eyes visibly softened. He let out a faint, exhausted sound of acknowledgment.

Virginia quickly guided him toward the bathroom. She dug through her closet and found a bright yellow-green oversized hoodie, slipping it through the crack in the door. "This one is brand new."

As he reached out to take it, his fingertips accidentally brushed against the back of her hand. His skin was terrifyingly cold.

Virginia pursed her lips, turned around, and walked straight into the kitchen.

She sliced ginger, boiled water, and stirred in brown sugar. Soon, the sharp, sweet scent of warm tea filled the apartment.

By the time she carried the steaming mug out, Archer had finished showering and changed into the dry clothes. He was sitting on the sofa in total silence.

The bright hoodie actually fit him perfectly, but the vivid color was completely jarring compared to his usual meticulously tailored, dark-toned wardrobe.

At some point, Cindy had scrambled over to sit right beside him. She reached up with her chubby little hands, pressing them gently against his cheeks.

"Mr. Archer, are you sick? Your face is super white."

"...I'm not."

"Liar." Cindy pouted aggressively. "Mommy says when your face goes all white, it means you feel awful. Do you feel awful, Mr. Archer?"

Archer looked down at the tiny, fiercely concerned face staring back at him. After a long moment of silence, he reached out and scooped her up into his lap.

Cindy didn't put up a fight. Instead, she wrapped her little arms securely around his neck and spoke in the softest, sweetest voice imaginable. "Cindy will blow on it for you. Mommy says if you blow on the owie, it stops hurting."

He closed his eyes, his sharp jawline tightening with overwhelming emotion.

Watching them from a distance, Virginia didn't intervene. She simply walked over, her expression completely unreadable, and set the steaming mug on the coffee table. "Drink this. It will warm you up."

He looked up at her, murmured a quiet thank you, picked up the mug, and downed the tea in a single breath.

Virginia pulled her gaze away and reached over to pick up her daughter. "Alright, sweetie. It's time for bed."

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