His Wicked Obsession (Archer and Virginia) novel Chapter 9

Behind her was a limited-edition Maybach, clearly worth a fortune at a single glance.

The driver had already stepped out to inspect the damage. Virginia rubbed her aching chest and pushed her door open to do the same. The other party was entirely polite, suggesting they take photos for evidence and wait for the traffic police to determine liability, noting that she had changed lanes and cut in front of them first.

Virginia checked the time, her brows furrowed deeply, but she had no choice but to wait patiently by the side of the road.

Her gaze drifted casually toward the backseat of the Maybach, catching a fleeting glimpse of a man's profile that looked surprisingly familiar.

She didn't dwell on it, simply opening her messages to quickly explain the situation to her assistant and delegate tasks.

Just as she was entirely focused on her phone, a crisp, intoxicating cedarwood scent suddenly wafted into the air. In the next second, a large, elegant hand appeared in her line of sight, holding out a gold-embossed business card.

"Ms. Caldwell, it's been a long time."

Startled, Virginia looked up.

The driver who had just been standing next to her had vanished, replaced by someone else entirely.

The man was dressed in a dark red suit, his collar slightly unbuttoned to exude a casual flair. The corners of his eyes tilted upward, giving him a roguish, untamed edge. With his sharp nose and striking features, he looked both cultured and dangerous, like a cunning, seductive fox.

Virginia glanced at the business card, hesitated for two seconds, and finally remembered.

Valentin Hunter, the only son of the elite Hunter family in the capital, and the current CEO of Hunter Group. She had crossed paths with him once a few years ago when representing the Caldwells at an auction. He threw money around like it was nothing, outbidding everyone without a second thought for whatever caught his eye. It was hard to forget a man like that.

However, the Hunters and the Vanderbilts were bitter rivals, and Valentin had always been at odds with Archer. Since the Caldwells were close to the Vanderbilts, they naturally kept their distance from the Hunters.

She never expected they would run into each other like this.

Virginia pulled her thoughts back, accepted the card, and offered a polite smile. "Mr. Hunter. I'm truly sorry about this."

"I rear-ended you, so I'm entirely at fault. I apologize for the scare, Ms. Caldwell."

Valentin shook her hand like a perfect gentleman before taking a slight step back. "How about I buy you a coffee to make up for it?"

Virginia shook her head, about to decline, when her assistant's call suddenly came through. The voice on the other end was frantic and chaotic: "Virginia, it's bad! A patient got triggered and lost control. They've run up to the roof and are threatening to jump! Dr. Shaw isn't at the clinic either. What do we do?!"

Virginia's face drained of color. "Call the police and set up safety measures! Clear the crowd! I'm on my way!"

But they were near a tourist spot, and the traffic was gridlocked. Worse still, they were stuck on an elevated highway, making it impossible to hail a cab or take the subway.

The heat of her touch seeped through the thin fabric of his suit. Valentin stiffened slightly, his grip on the throttle unconsciously tightening.

After what felt like an eternity, the motorcycle slammed to a halt directly beneath the psychiatric clinic.

A large crowd had already gathered. Bright yellow police tape cordoned off the area, while officers and firefighters worked seamlessly to evacuate bystanders and inflate the rescue cushions.

When Virginia hopped off the bike, her face was pale and her legs felt like jelly. A second later, she frantically yanked off her helmet, rushed to the side of the road, and began dry heaving.

Seeing this, Valentin frowned. He took off his helmet and stepped closer. "Sorry, are you okay?"

Time had been of the essence, and he hadn't thought twice about pushing the speed limit. He didn't expect it to hit her this hard.

He reached out, preparing to steady her.

But just as his long fingers hovered half an inch from her back, Virginia straightened up, her face still completely pale.

"I'm fine. Thank you for today, Mr. Hunter. I'll properly thank you in person when I get the chance."

Virginia spoke incredibly fast, already turning around and sprinting toward the revolving doors of the commercial building.