His Wicked Obsession (Archer and Virginia) novel Chapter 410

Archer frowned slightly. He glanced at Zachary's thin shirt, then down at the utterly disheveled Evelyn. Without a word, he shrugged off his custom suit jacket and handed it to his assistant.

Zachary understood instantly. In three quick strides, he crossed the room and draped the heavy jacket over Evelyn's trembling shoulders.

Evelyn flinched slightly in surprise. Then, realizing what it was, she clutched the blazer tightly to her chest, feeling Archer's lingering body heat. A flash of profound gratitude and secret triumph sparked in her eyes.

The Boss really did treat her differently!

"So this is how Mr. Lockwood negotiates his business deals. What an eye-opening experience for me today."

Archer's tone was eerily calm, betraying absolutely no emotion.

Sweat poured down Lockwood's forehead. Slapping on a desperate, greasy smile, he reached for his glass on the table.

"It's a misunderstanding, sir! A complete misunderstanding! I was just joking around with Ms. Snow to liven up the mood. I'll sign the contract right now. Right this second..."

Archer took a single step forward, his hand snapping out to lock onto Lockwood's wrist like a steel vice, effortlessly snatching the heavy glass tumbler from the man's grip.

SMASH! He slammed it violently onto the table.

Shards of glass exploded in every direction.

Lockwood shrieked, his legs giving out completely as he nearly collapsed to the floor in pure terror.

When the glass shattered, Archer didn't bother to dodge. A jagged shard sliced straight across the back of his hand, leaving a vicious, two-inch gash.

Blood welled up instantly, trailing a stark, violent crimson path down his pale skin and bulging veins before dripping onto the carpet.

"Zachary, escort our guest out. And issue a company-wide notice: the Vanderbilt Group is terminating all business ties with Everest Technologies immediately."

Archer casually pulled a dark gray checkered pocket square from his slacks, roughly wiped the blood off his hand, and tossed the ruined fabric aside.

Zachary stepped up immediately, his face deadpan. "Mr. Lockwood. After you."

The suite was swiftly cleared out, leaving only Archer and Evelyn behind.

Evelyn's hands hovered awkwardly in mid-air.

She bit her lower lip, shooting him a deeply resentful, aggrieved look.

But the man's striking profile remained completely cold and unbothered, showing zero intention of entertaining her any further.

Defeated, she clutched his jacket tighter around her body and forced a reluctant whisper. "Thank you, Boss."

The private suite plunged into dead silence.

Archer sat heavily in one of the dining chairs, staring blankly at the dried blood on his knuckles, then at the ridiculous strawberry band-aid in his palm. Instantly, the floodgates of his memory burst open.

Not long after he and Virginia had gotten married, he had come home extremely late one night after aggressively securing a massive acquisition for the Vanderbilt Group. Exhausted and intoxicated, he had accidentally knocked over a vase in the foyer, slicing the back of his hand on the shattered porcelain.

Hearing the crash, Virginia had rushed downstairs in nothing but a thin nightgown.

She hadn't scolded him for drinking so much, nor did she waste a single breath on pointless chatter. She had simply fetched the first-aid kit in total silence, sat beside him on the plush rug, and with her head bowed and eyes filled with quiet, profound heartbreak, painstakingly cleaned his wound with a cotton swab and iodine.