His Wicked Obsession (Archer and Virginia) novel Chapter 270

Chloe was entirely consumed by bitterness.

But a cruel smile quickly replaced her anger.

Everything she had done today was building up to the grand finale...

...

Midnight, at South Hill.

Cindy was already fast asleep. Fresh out of the shower, Virginia wore a soft, pale blue nightgown, her half-dried hair cascading loosely over her shoulders.

She sat on the living room sofa, scrolling through emails on her laptop while, subconsciously... waiting for someone.

Suddenly, a notification popped up on the screen.

It was a photo sent from Chloe.

In the picture, Archer was leaning against the headboard, fast asleep. Toby was curled up securely against his chest. At the edge of the frame, a sliver of pale, luminous skin—clearly a woman's shoulder—was deliberately left in view.

It looked like a painfully intimate portrait of a happy family of three sharing a bed.

Virginia stared at the screen for several long seconds, her finger hovering over the mouse pad. After what felt like an eternity, she closed the chat window.

A hollow, suffocating ache settled deep in her chest, as if all the oxygen had just been sucked out of the room.

Archer didn't return until early the next morning.

He had changed clothes, now wearing a crisp white dress shirt with subtle dark embroidery and a pair of dark gray tailored trousers.

Virginia was sitting at the dining table eating breakfast with Cindy. When she heard him walk in, she didn't even lift her eyes.

Cindy, however, instantly looked up, her eyes lighting up. "Mr. Vanderbilt!"

Archer walked over, ruffled the little girl's hair, and locked his gaze on Virginia.

"Last night..."

"Cindy, when you're done, go grab your backpack. Mommy is taking you to kindergarten." Before he could finish, Virginia cut him off, casually placing a peeled hard-boiled egg on the child's small plate.

A single, dim nightlight illuminated the room. His eyes darkened as he kept his footsteps silent and approached. "Virginia. Come out."

His deep voice was rough, laced with an unprecedented layer of absolute panic.

Virginia didn't move. Her breathing didn't even hitch, perfectly mimicking someone in a deep sleep.

A dangerous glint flashed in Archer's eyes. He balled his hands into fists. Suddenly, his large hands clamped down on her lower back and the nape of her neck, aggressively hauling her up into his arms.

Virginia's expression cracked as she finally reacted.

She pushed against his chest, her face completely frozen as she hissed, "Archer, have you lost your mind? Put me down!"

He completely ignored her, striding forcefully back into the master bedroom. He practically tossed her onto the massive silk mattress, bracing his arms on either side of her, trapping her entirely beneath his towering frame.

Having just stepped out of the shower, he smelled incredibly fresh and intoxicatingly dangerous.

"Don't push me away," he commanded, locking his eyes onto hers. "I just want to explain. Last night, Toby had a severe fever. I had no other choice..."