His Wicked Obsession (Archer and Virginia) novel Chapter 19

Only when the two figures disappeared at the end of the hallway did Virginia step into the VIP lounge.

Doctor White was still sitting in his original spot. Seeing her walk in, he took off his glasses and wiped them. "Close the door."

His tone was unchanged, but a hint of amusement now danced in his eyes.

Virginia shut the door and took a seat opposite him. "Doctor White."

"That man just now," Doctor White said, sliding his glasses back onto his face. "Was that your ex-husband?"

"Yes."

"And the woman next to him?"

"The Caldwell family's adopted daughter, Chloe. Also my sister, in name."

Doctor White leaned back against the plush sofa, a flash of deep sympathy crossing his eyes.

No wonder the kid had asked him to keep her identity under wraps.

Seeing that she wasn't eager to elaborate, Doctor White suddenly sighed. "Virginia, I'm going to ask you a question, and I want the absolute truth."

"Go ahead."

"Can your current mental state handle this?"

Virginia blinked in surprise.

"Your ex-husband brought your sister to me for treatment. You stood outside and listened to the entire exchange, and your face didn't so much as twitch." Doctor White's voice softened considerably. "Are you genuinely over it, or are you just suppressing everything?"

Virginia remained quiet for a few seconds before looking up with a soft smile. "I can handle it, Doctor White."

Doctor White stared at her for a moment, then shook his head. "Saying that to me is pointless; you're not my patient. You're my student. I have no say in your personal life, but I do have a say in one thing—"

He reached out, pulled the afternoon itinerary off the coffee table, flipped to a specific page, and tapped it firmly.

"When you go up to present your paper at the afternoon panel, do not take that emotional baggage to the podium with you."

This time, the smile on Virginia's lips was entirely genuine. "I won't let you down."

Doctor White clicked his tongue, finally waving a hand in mock annoyance to shoo her away.

PTSD paired with dissociative symptoms. Leaving it without systematic intervention for this long... it's gotten complicated."

Virginia listened quietly, her footsteps coming to a halt.

"I agreed to do one cycle of evaluation and initial treatment."

"Alright."

Her mentor had always taught her that the core of psychiatric treatment was helping a patient escape their personal hell. Regardless of who the person was, as long as they genuinely needed help, she had no right to let her personal grudges interfere.

"But I don't have a private clinic in the city. You know the equipment standards I require. Renting a temporary space won't cut it." Doctor White paused. "I'm afraid I'm going to have to borrow your clinic for a few days."

Virginia didn't reply immediately. She leaned heavily against the hallway wall, her breathing suddenly tight. The hand gripping her phone trembled slightly, and her gaze lost focus, staring blankly at the sterile white wall.

Doctor White added one last sentence. "Furthermore, I need an assistant."

"...Doctor White, you have plenty of assistants."

"I need an assistant who knows my workflow inside and out, someone who can do real-time charting and risk assessments on the fly." His tone was perfectly level. "For a case like this, anyone other than you simply won't do."