His Wicked Obsession (Archer and Virginia) novel Chapter 459

Virginia sat on a velvet sofa in the corner, holding a glass of sparkling water.

She was wearing a black silk halter dress today. The back was completely open, revealing a wide expanse of smooth, luminous skin.

Her long hair was elegantly pinned up, leaving just a few stray strands framing her slender neck, giving her an aura of untouchable, aloof grace.

Listening to the gossip swirling around her, she lowered her eyes and took a sip of her water.

She had only come tonight because Clementine Sherwood insisted it would be crowded and might be a good place to pick up some useful information. But after listening to it all, it was nothing but trivial chatter...

Setting down her glass, Virginia stood up, planning to step out onto the terrace for some fresh air.

She had barely taken two steps when her foot caught on something. Her ankle rolled, and the thin stiletto heel wedged directly into a gap in the marble flooring.

"Ah!"

She let out a soft cry, her body uncontrollably tilting to the side.

Right at the critical moment, a large, well-defined hand firmly gripped her waist, effortlessly pulling her into a solid embrace.

The familiar scent of Oud & Bergamot instantly enveloped her.

It was Archer.

He was wearing a dark gray tailored suit paired with a crisp white shirt. He wore no tie, and the top two buttons were undone, radiating a natural, aristocratic elegance.

His arm tightened around her as he frowned, looking down. "Where are you hurt?"

"I just twisted my ankle a little."

Everyone at the event tonight belonged to their elite circle, and Virginia had no desire to become the center of their gossip. She pushed against him slightly, wanting to stand up on her own.

Archer didn't let go. His gaze had already landed on her right ankle.

A patch of red was already blooming there, looking exceptionally stark against her flawless skin.

The crowd, who had just been gossiping, always kept one eye on the typically aloof head of the Vanderbilt empire. Seeing him completely ignore the stares of the room to drop down on one knee, a pin-drop silence swept across the hall.

Archer couldn't care less.

Clementine, having just heard the commotion, excused herself from her friends and hurried over, only to see the two of them walking away in the distance.

She shivered dramatically, rubbing her arms. "It's the middle of summer, but the PDA is giving me frostbite. The possessiveness on that man is absolutely insane."

...

The black Rolls-Royce Phantom was parked directly outside the club entrance.

Seeing them emerge, the driver immediately stepped out and pulled the door open.

Archer placed Virginia carefully in the backseat, then walked around to the other side, swung his long legs in, and sat down.

The door shut, instantly cutting off the stifling summer heat from outside.

Virginia shifted slightly toward the window, trying to put as much distance between them as possible.

Archer turned his head to look at her, a dark, turbulent storm brewing in his obsidian eyes.