His Wicked Obsession (Archer and Virginia) novel Chapter 408

Just standing there effortlessly, his overwhelmingly dominant aura was enough to intimidate anyone into giving him a wide berth.

Chloe stepped out of the back seat, holding Toby's hand, and walked right up to his side.

She had thoroughly dressed up for the occasion, wearing Chanel's latest burgundy French-style slip dress, her face meticulously painted with a full face of glamorous makeup.

Unfortunately, her heavy perfume came off as cloying and overpowering in the thick, humid air.

"Archer." Chloe closed the distance between them, her voice sickeningly sweet as she subtly tried to lean her body against his.

Archer didn't even spare her a glance. He smoothly shifted sideways to avoid her touch, grabbed Toby's little hand, and personally walked the boy through the school gates.

Chloe gritted her teeth in frustration.

Though utterly resentful, she kept her mouth shut. After all, she had plenty of time to slowly make him fall back in love with her!

A few minutes later, Archer returned, striding past her to open the driver's side door and get back in.

Seeing her frozen on the sidewalk, he rolled down the window and snapped a cold command. "Get in."

Chloe quickly masked her ulterior motives and reached for the passenger door handle, only to find it firmly locked.

She froze. Lowering her eyes to hide the burning humiliation, she yanked open the rear door and climbed into the back seat.

The second the engine purred to life, she whipped out her phone, found the perfect angle, and snapped a photo of Archer's striking side profile as he drove.

...

At the exact same time, inside Virginia's clinic.

Virginia sat quietly in her consultation room, head bowed as she meticulously organized her patient files.

Her phone screen lit up on the desk, signaling a new message.

He was wearing a dark blue custom shirt, but his tie was long gone. The top three buttons were thrown open, revealing an expanse of pale skin and heavily muscled chest.

His steps were unsteady as he made his way to the kitchen island. Leaning heavily against the cool marble countertop with one hand, he pinched the bridge of his nose to fight off a pounding headache.

Hearing footsteps, he turned his head. Recognizing her, his dark eyes—now glossy and unfocused from the alcohol—locked onto her intensely.

Virginia paused for a second before continuing toward the kitchen, an involuntary frown creasing her brow as the heavy stench of alcohol hit her.

"Virginia," he murmured, his raspy voice betraying a rare, vulnerable weakness. "My head is killing me, and my stomach feels awful. Could you... make me some hangover soup?"

Her hand paused on the water pitcher. Her gaze swept over his flushed eyes, and a sharp pang of sympathy shot through her heart. She was just about to say yes, when the image of that photo and Chloe's smug text violently crashed into her mind.

"Mrs. Gable." Virginia turned her head, calling out to the housekeeper who had just peeked out of the first-floor bedroom upon hearing the noise. "The Boss has had too much to drink. Please make him a bowl of hangover soup."

Without giving Archer so much as a second glance, she picked up her glass of water and walked briskly upstairs toward her study.