His Wicked Obsession (Archer and Virginia) novel Chapter 46

Echo: [Awfully quiet today. Are you busy?]

She smiled and rested the journal on her lap.

They had known each other for nearly a year, strictly as anonymous internet friends. Neither knew the other's real identity, and they preferred it that way.

It started when she posted a vent on an anonymous forum, and he had left a thoughtful reply. They eventually moved to private messages. He never asked for her name, gender, profession, or location, and she extended the same courtesy.

It was a perfectly comfortable, no-strings-attached digital friendship.

Virginia typed: [Just a lot going on lately. I'm a bit tired.]

She felt it sounded too dramatic and quickly added: [Nothing major, though.]

He replied almost instantly: [Like what?]

[Like... trying to keep my distance from certain people, but they keep finding excuses to crash into my life and ruin my peace.]

[An ex-boyfriend?]

Virginia stared at the word, hesitating for a few seconds before typing back: [Something like that.]

An ex-husband was close enough.

There was a brief pause before he responded: [Then don't waste your energy on people from the past. Focus on your own life. Good things are coming your way soon.]

Virginia's smile widened, the lingering annoyance from the Suttons washing away. She finally replied, [Thank you. I hope the same goes for you. Let the good things come.]

On the other side of the screen, Echo set his phone down. His furrowed brow relaxed, and a genuine smile played on his lips.

...

The next morning, Virginia had barely settled into the clinic when Holly rushed over, lowering her voice.

They hit it off immediately, finalizing an agreement for her clinic to handle the corporate account.

They had been talking for about half an hour when a knock interrupted them.

Holly peeked in, looking slightly awkward. "Dr. Caldwell, Mr. Vanderbilt is here. He says he's picking up Mr. Lambert."

Virginia's grip on her pen tightened.

Mr. Vanderbilt?

Before she could confirm if it was the Mr. Vanderbilt, Carlton was already standing up, waving toward the door. "Thanks for making the trip, Archer. Come on in."

A second later, Archer walked in, impeccably dressed in a tailored suit. He glanced at Virginia, then quickly looked away.

"Finished your meeting, Mr. Lambert?"