His Wicked Obsession (Archer and Virginia) novel Chapter 501

Through the glass, Gemma could be clearly seen sitting across from a man.

The man leaned forward, his large, masculine hand gripping her wrist with an undeniable, domineering strength.

Though only half of his profile was visible, Dominic Harrington instantly recognized the dark gray coat and The Sandalwood Prayer Beads on his wrist—it was Archer Vanderbilt.

Dominic gripped the photograph, crumpling it in his fist, a predatory darkness swirling in his eyes behind his gold-rimmed glasses.

A short while later, the sound of a car engine shutting off echoed from the courtyard.

Dominic smoothed out the ruined photo, casually tossed it into a drawer, and got up to head downstairs.

Gemma pushed the door open, handing her coat to the maid, but the moment she slipped into her house slippers, she felt a suffocating, oppressive gaze land on her.

Her chest tightened—it was Dominic!

He stood at the top of the stairs, looking down at her with a commanding presence.

"Where did you go?"

"Just out for a walk." Gemma unconsciously gripped the fabric of her skirt, though her expression remained perfectly calm.

Dominic slowly descended the stairs and stopped directly in front of her.

"A walk?" He suddenly closed the distance, his fingers gripping her jaw to force her to look up at him. "How was the coffee at The Hillside Café?"

Gemma's heart skipped a beat, but she forced herself to maintain her composure. "Are you having me followed?"

"Do not forget, you are my wife." Dominic tightened his grip, his eyes narrowing with a dangerous glint. "Gemma, do you actually think he is better than me?!"

The moment the words left his mouth, the air in the room seemed to freeze.

Gemma lowered her eyes, offering no reply.

Felicity Rhodes's tearful, indignant accusations from the living room last night flashed through her mind, and suddenly, this whole situation felt utterly absurd.

She was merely a stand-in, an empty shell carrying someone else's memories, loves, and hatreds.

Gemma's mind was in absolute chaos, and the only thing that could possibly help her make sense of this mess was that phone...

At that thought, she walked over to the vanity, opened the bottom drawer, and pulled out the sleek black smartphone.

She powered it on.

Several unread messages instantly flooded the screen.

She froze for a second before tapping them open one by one—it was a few photos and a video clip.

The photos were of Archer. He was wearing a casual light gray sweater, sitting on a rug, holding a little girl in his arms. The little girl was exactly who he had called Cindy.

Cindy was holding a Rubik's cube, looking up at him with a bright smile. The man's profile was impossibly soft, completely lacking the ruthless obsession he had displayed at the cafe today.