His Wicked Obsession (Archer and Virginia) novel Chapter 29

Her voice was cool and detached, but Valentin found the cadence absolutely intoxicating.

His gaze locked onto her for several long seconds, the intensity in his eyes growing hotter by the moment.

Virginia's features were stunning. When she was hyper-focused on the target, the slight furrow of her brow and the tight line of her lips radiated a distant, captivating elegance that was impossible to ignore.

Valentin had spent his entire life playing the field. It was no exaggeration to say he had dated half the socialites in the city, but Virginia possessed a grounded, unshakeable composure that set her entirely apart from anyone he had ever met.

He couldn't stop himself from taking a step closer, his voice dropping to a low, husky register. "Dr. Caldwell, I'd say we're pretty well acquainted by now. Calling you 'Dr. Caldwell' feels a bit too formal, don't you think? How about I call you..."

He leaned in slightly. The midday sun slanted through the massive glass windows of the range, catching the golden edges of his tousled hair and highlighting his striking jawline. In the shifting light, his usually mischievous, fox-like eyes looked devastatingly deep and sincere.

"Mr. Hunter." Virginia intentionally interrupted him, pretending she didn't catch the implication as she hung her recurve bow back on the rack. "Thank you for everything that happened before. But I think you should know—I am divorced, and I have a four-year-old daughter."

She only wanted a quiet, drama-free life with Cindy. She absolutely refused to be dragged into any messy romantic entanglements.

Regardless of whatever game Valentin was trying to play, she had zero interest in letting their dynamic cross any professional boundaries.

Valentin blinked, clearly caught off guard. Then, a slow, predatory smirk spread across his face. "And?"

Virginia frowned, completely thrown by his reaction.

Seeing her confusion, Valentin let out a shameless, rakish laugh—it was impossible to tell if he was messing with her or dead serious. "Isn't that the ultimate jackpot? I get to skip all the hard parts and score an adorable daughter right off the bat."

Virginia instantly recalled the endless tabloid rumors about his playboy lifestyle. She kept her head down, packing up her gear, and refused to dignify that with a response.

Unfazed by her icy silence, Valentin simply chuckled and smoothly shifted the conversation back to his grandfather's recent progress.

Virginia let out a quiet breath of relief. She played along, offering brief, professional replies, and the heavy tension slowly evaporated from the room.

...

Over the next month, Valentin became a permanent fixture at the clinic.

Sometimes he showed up claiming he was escorting his grandfather; other days, he was 'running an errand' for the old man; and occasionally, he just 'happened to be in the neighborhood' and popped in to grab a glass of water.

"I swear on my life."

Cindy's eyes widened, and she nodded her head so fast it was a blur.

...

From that day on, Valentin and Cindy were practically inseparable.

He even boldly hijacked Virginia's rare days off, insisting on dragging the two of them to the amusement park.

Because she had grown up completely lacking a father figure, Cindy was naturally much more timid than the other kids.

Whenever a loud noise or a massive crowd made her shrink back in fear, Valentin would effortlessly scoop her up and hoist her onto his broad shoulders.

Sitting high above the chaos, Cindy gripped his hair as the towering billionaire casually bulldozed his way through the packed crowds. She was so thrilled she couldn't stop giggling at everything she saw.

Every so often, Valentin would intentionally wobble his shoulders, sending Cindy into a fit of breathless, delighted shrieks.