His Wicked Obsession (Archer and Virginia) novel Chapter 212

The middle-aged man beside her—Piper’s uncle, Duncan Price—craned his neck for a look and scoffed. "We don't understand any of this! All we know is my niece got worse after being treated by Virginia!"

"You have to pay up!"

Julian's expression didn't waver. He simply reached over and flipped to the next page for them.

"Let's put the compensation talk on hold for a second. Take a look at this."

The document displayed an offshore bank account. The account number was long, but Mrs. Price's face instantly drained of color.

"We discovered a sudden influx of funds transferred from an offshore account into Ms. Price's name. We're currently tracing the source."

"But I imagine you're all very well aware of where that money came from."

"Greed can be a dangerous thing. Instead of holding out for more, you might want to quietly take what you've already been given and walk away. It would be a shame if we dug up something that you couldn't easily explain to a judge."

At those words, the faces of the three people across the table collectively paled.

Duncan opened his mouth to argue, his face flushing dark red, but couldn't manage to force a single word out.

Catching their panicked expressions, Julian sneered inwardly before closing the folder. "Have you thought it over? If so, I'd like you all to sign this settlement agreement and formally withdraw the lawsuit."

"This matter ends here. We won't pursue any further action against Ms. Price or the rest of you."

Piper's family exchanged nervous glances before finally hanging their heads in defeat, taking turns signing the settlement agreement.

They had indeed accepted a payout from a hidden source, but they also knew they couldn't afford to mess with the Vanderbilt Group. If the corporation really dug into the truth, losing face would be the least of their worries; a few years in federal prison would completely ruin their lives...

Two days later, Virginia received the official court notice approving the withdrawal of the lawsuit.

Staring at the legal document, a myriad of complex emotions flickered across her face.

She knew without a doubt that Archer was behind this.

Picking up her phone, she scrolled down to his contact name. She hesitated for a moment before locking the screen and setting the device back down.

...

The two men stared each other down in a silent, tense standoff across the desk.

Archer lowered his eyes, masking the turbulence swirling within them.

She was avoiding him.

"Please take a seat, Mr. Vanderbilt. I've already reviewed your records, so we can start by..."

Before he could even finish his sentence, Archer pivoted and walked out. Behind him, Kian didn't seem the least bit offended, merely adjusting his glasses and calling out smoothly.

"If you experience any further discomfort, Mr. Vanderbilt, you know where to find me. You're welcome here anytime."

Instead of leaving the clinic, Archer headed straight for Virginia’s consultation room.

He peered through the frosted glass door, but the opaque pane completely obscured his view.

He leaned back against the wall, standing perfectly still, his dark eyes impossible to read.