His Wicked Obsession (Archer and Virginia) novel Chapter 504

By the time he returned, the two of them were having the time of their lives.

"Let's take a break and drink something to warm up."

The little girl whispered something to Gemma, making her burst into genuine laughter before taking Cindy's hand and walking over.

"Thank you." Gemma didn't make a fuss, taking the cup and sipping from it.

The rich, warm drink chased away the winter chill, soothing her stomach from the inside out.

Archer's gaze darkened as he noticed something. He raised a hand, his thumb gently wiping the corner of her lips.

Gemma stiffened, though she didn't pull away. She just looked up at him, her expression unreadable.

A second later, she cleared her throat and stepped back, unable to stop herself from reminding him, "There are security cameras here..."

"Sorry, you had something on your face." Archer retracted his hand, pulling out a tissue to casually wipe his fingers, though they still felt the lingering warmth of her lips. "Zachary will handle it."

The little girl stood nearby, happily munching on her sweet corn. Her big bright eyes took in the scene without the slightest hint of discomfort.

To any outsider, this family of three looked incredibly picture-perfect.

...

Around half past five in the evening, back at the Harrington Estate in Chicago.

Inside the living room, the motorized drapes were drawn tight. The main lights were off, leaving only a few dim bulbs glowing on the outer edge of the crystal chandelier, creating an oppressively dark atmosphere.

Gemma swapped her shoes and walked in. She had barely taken off her camel coat when she caught the faint, lingering scent of tobacco.

Someone was sitting on the sofa...

It was Dominic!

He was actually home early!

Dominic was in a black turtleneck, his navy suit jacket tossed carelessly onto the floor. A half-smoked cigar was pinched between his fingers.

He wasn't wearing his glasses, and his deep, narrow eyes practically glowed with a spine-chilling darkness in the dim light.

The moment she saw those photos, every ounce of color drained from her face, her ears ringing with a deafening buzz.

Archer said Zachary would handle the cameras, but he hadn't accounted for Dominic's men snapping high-lens photos from a distance...

"Care to explain what this is?"

Gemma stared at the emotionally repressed man, feeling the atmospheric pressure in the room plummeting rapidly. She remained dead silent.

Explain?

Gemma said nothing.

"Speak."

Seeing her silence, the viciousness in Dominic's eyes deepened.

He abruptly stood up and closed the distance, forcefully gripping her jaw and forcing her to look at him.

"I know you hate me." He stared into her eyes, his tone suddenly adopting a sickeningly soft, morbid quality. "You hate me because I failed to protect you back then, and you hate me because I caused your miscarriage..."