His Wicked Obsession (Archer and Virginia) novel Chapter 454

...

At the exact same time, in a rundown rental apartment in The Docks District.

The ceiling fan rattled with a grating squeak. Even on its highest setting, it did nothing to dispel the suffocating, humid stench of mildew trapped inside the room.

The paint on the walls was peeling off in large chunks, and cockroaches could be seen skittering through the corners.

Chloe was wearing a cheap, oversized T-shirt she'd gotten from who-knew-where. Her hair was tied up in a messy knot, and her face was slick with sweat.

Smack.

She hurled a cheap, greasy ten-dollar takeout container violently onto the floor, sending rice and broth splattering everywhere.

"I'm not eating this disgusting trash!" Chloe grabbed her hair with both hands, screaming in an absolute meltdown. "There's no AC, no hot water, and even the bedsheets smell like rotting mold! I've had enough! I can't stay here for another second!"

Liam leaned against the rusted iron doorframe, taking a heavy drag from a cheap cigarette. Through the smoke, his expression was terrifyingly dark.

He walked over, crouched down, and scooped the spilled food off the floor to throw in the trash. He then looked up at Chloe, his voice filled with a mix of heartache and intense hatred.

"Chloe, you just need to endure it for a few more days. This won't last much longer. As soon as the search cools down, I'll get us out of the country. Our good life will come back to us."

Damn it! If Archer hadn't pushed them to the absolute brink, he would never have forced Chloe to live in such squalor!

Chloe clenched her fists, her eyes brimming with a toxic, venomous hatred.

It was all Virginia's fault. It was all that bitch's fault!

If it weren't for her, how could a high-society heiress like herself ever end up in a place like this?!

And Liam!

She had thought that even if the Kendricks weren't as powerful as the Vanderbilts, he would at least be reliable. But look at him now?! He was completely useless!

"Did they catch them?" Hearing his footsteps, Virginia asked calmly without taking her eyes off the screen.

"Still looking." He stopped, his long fingers securing the button of his suit jacket. "Julian's team has added more men, and the police have set up checkpoints. They can't hide for much longer."

Virginia's finger paused on the screen.

"Don't overthink it. Just rest at home," Archer said, stepping closer, his large frame blocking out some of the ambient light.

He raised his hand, wanting to touch her hair, but his fingers hovered in the air for a couple of seconds before he withdrew them and shoved his hand into his pocket.

...

The doorbell suddenly rang. Mrs. Lewis, who had just returned from her time off, hurried over to check the monitor. She answered the intercom, hung up, and turned to report.

"Sir, Ma'am, it's Madeline Caldwell. She says... she wants to see you, Ma'am. She wants to talk."