His Wicked Obsession (Archer and Virginia) novel Chapter 179

Chloe snapped her head up. "Alone?"

"No companions in the room, no outside interference. A full course is exactly one week. You arrive at the designated time every day, complete the session, and leave immediately."

Doctor White's tone left absolutely zero room for negotiation. "This is the only condition under which I will continue taking your case."

Chloe bit down hard on her lower lip, her peripheral vision darting toward the closed door.

"...Fine!"

After the forty-minute session concluded, Doctor White stepped out and met Archer in the waiting area.

Archer was seated on the sofa, his long fingers resting casually against his knee. His posture was perfectly relaxed, yet his overpowering aura instinctively made everyone else in the waiting area keep a wide berth.

"Mr. Vanderbilt." Doctor White sat down across from him, cutting straight to the point. "One full course is seven days. Once this course is complete, I have to fly to Munich for an international medical conference. I'll be out of the country for a while."

Archer gave a curt nod, though his brows pulled together in a tight frown. "During that time, how will her condition..."

"I will do my absolute best," Doctor White said, taking off his glasses to wipe the lenses before sliding them back on.

"But psychotherapy isn't surgery. Nobody can offer a 100% guarantee. All I can tell you is that, given her current state, this upcoming week is critical."

"Understood." Archer stood up. "Thank you for your time."

When he went to pick Chloe up from the room, he walked past that half-open office door once again.

This time, she was there.

She was sitting behind her desk, staring intently at her computer screen. Her focus was absolute, her profile casting a quiet, gentle silhouette.

His footsteps instinctively slowed for half a beat, and his hand twitched as if he wanted to reach out for her.

In the next second, he forced himself to keep walking, never looking back.

...

One week later.

Chloe sat in the consulting room, listening to Doctor White summarize her final session of the course.

Her expression was perfectly placid. She nodded occasionally and sometimes feigned a look of confusion, entirely cooperative—just as she had been for the past several days.

But inside her head, everything was crystal clear.

It rang a few times before the other end picked up. The voice was filled with shock, pure joy, and a hint of caution. "Ch-Chloe?"

"Liam," she said, leaning back against the leather seat. Her voice was incredibly sweet, yet laced with an undetectable venom. "It's been a while. I need you to do me a favor."

The line went dead silent for a few seconds before Liam Kendrick eagerly asked, "What kind of favor?"

"We'll talk when we meet."

Before he could say another word, she abruptly ended the call. Her perfectly manicured finger swiped across the screen, permanently deleting the call log.

...

The following day, Doctor White booked his flight to Munich as planned.

Before his departure, Virginia and Kian accompanied him to the airport to see him off.

Kian was dressed sharply today in a fitted black blazer without a tie, the top button of his dress shirt undone, striking a perfect balance between casual and effortlessly expensive.

Virginia stood next to him, wearing a bellflower-blue trench coat. The belt was tied loosely at her waist, yet it still perfectly accentuated her slender, delicate figure.