His Wicked Obsession (Archer and Virginia) novel Chapter 425

The smile on Evelyn's face froze instantly, her fingers unconsciously tightening around the edge of the folder.

"I apologize, Mr. Vanderbilt." Her eyes grew red, and her voice dropped, laced with artificial grievance. "My mother bought this outfit specifically for me. She's getting older, and I didn't want to break her heart, so I wore it. I will definitely be more mindful in the future."

At the mention of a mother, Archer's dark eyes grew heavy.

He was a man who demanded strict adherence to the rules, but he wasn't completely devoid of empathy.

"Don't let it happen again."

He withdrew his gaze and flipped open the report on his desk, delivering a blunt dismissal. "Get out."

Evelyn lowered her head and backed out of the office.

Just as she turned the corner near the breakroom, she caught two women from the secretarial pool whispering.

"Did you see? Group Leader Snow is trying a new tactic. Waltzing around Mr. Vanderbilt in those boring, plain clothes like he's an idiot."

"She thinks she's hot stuff just because she studied abroad, and now she's actually aiming for Mr. Vanderbilt. Too bad he won't even give her a second glance."

As Evelyn walked past, her fingernails dug viciously into her palms.

The humiliation and fury made her want to scream.

She gritted her teeth and stalked off in her heels without looking back.

Aiming for him? She had the looks and the competence. How was she any worse than the CEO's kept woman?

If a useless trophy could stand beside him, why couldn't she?!

...

Around 10 PM.

The black Maybach pulled smoothly into the driveway of the South Hill estate.

Archer pushed the front door open, trailing the heavy scent of alcohol.

Tonight, he had attended a dinner hosted by the project leads for the Southside development. Several government officials were present, and as the main investor, he couldn't refuse the endless toasts.

He loosened his tie, carelessly tossed his suit jacket onto the sofa, and let his tall frame collapse into the cushions.

The exhaustion of the past few days, compounded by the alcohol, had triggered his migraine. He closed his eyes, raising a hand to massage his throbbing temples.

The living room was utterly silent, filled only with the faint sounds of their breathing and heartbeats.

Archer held her hand, his thumb gently stroking the soft skin of her knuckles.

In that moment, he felt a warmth he hadn't known in a very long time.

...

The next evening.

As soon as the nanny brought Cynthia home, the little girl sprinted through the front door, waving a colorful piece of paper.

"Mommy! Mr. Vanderbilt!"

The little girl was dressed in her pristine British-style kindergarten uniform, her cheeks flushed pink from running.

Archer, who was sitting on the sofa, put down his phone when he heard the commotion.

A second later, the little girl practically launched herself at him, throwing her arms around his leg. "Mr. Vanderbilt, hug!"