His Wicked Obsession (Archer and Virginia) novel Chapter 59

The smile on Chloe's lips stiffened for a fraction of a second before she hurried after him.

In that fleeting moment, even though his expression hadn't changed at all, she could acutely feel the temperature drop around him...

In the networking zone, several corporate executives were gathered, discussing cross-industry collaborations.

Valentin was pulled into the group, ending up in the same circle as Archer, though two people stood between them.

Outwardly, the two men remained polite, but in reality, neither acknowledged the other.

Unable to join the highly technical conversation, Virginia used the opportunity to slip away to the restroom.

The moment she left, Archer's eyes darkened.

Giving a brief nod to the other executives, he held his glass and quietly asked Valentin to step aside for a word.

They walked over to a quiet lounge bar tucked in the corner of the networking area, far from the crowd.

Archer set his glass down. Tucking one hand into his pocket, he looked up at Valentin.

Valentin raised an eyebrow. "If you've got something to say, Mr. Vanderbilt, spit it out."

"I imagine you saw the recent gossip columns in the financial sector, Mr. Hunter," Archer said, his voice flat.

The amusement drained slightly from Valentin's face, and his grip on his itinerary tightened.

He knew exactly which article Archer meant. The headline had read: *Hunter Group Heir Dines with Mystery Woman*, accompanied by a few blurry, poorly angled photos.

The woman that night had been Vanessa Sherwood, the celebrity brand ambassador for Hunter Group. Valentin had only treated her to dinner, but Vanessa had leaked it to drum up publicity.

"Keep your scandals in check," Archer said evenly, though his eyes carried a dark, unreadable intensity.

Valentin raised an eyebrow. "Mr. Vanderbilt, am I hearing things?"

He turned slowly, casually sliding both hands into his pockets as he tilted his head to study Archer. "Are you really standing here, in front of your current wife, trying to play protector to your ex-wife?"

The words weren't loud, but they brutally crossed a line.

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