His Wicked Obsession (Archer and Virginia) novel Chapter 48

Valentin casually pushed a freshly stirred coffee toward Virginia, and she took it for a sip.

Without missing a beat, Valentin reached across the table and naturally wiped a drop of milk foam from the corner of her lip...

It was an incredibly intimate gesture, crossing far beyond the boundaries of platonic friends.

Archer's eyes darkened, and his entire body went rigid.

He had no idea how long he had been staring until Chloe's voice finally snapped him back to reality.

"Archer, what are you looking at?"

"Nothing."

Even though his face was blank, Chloe sensed something was horribly wrong.

Frowning, she leaned across him, trying to see out his window.

"Drive."

Before she could spot anything, Archer ordered sharply, his face like thunder.

The driver nodded and stepped on the gas.

The entire ride back, Archer was haunted by the image of Virginia's face. She had looked so relaxed, smiling so freely—a kind of effortless comfort she had never once shown when she was with him.

...

That weekend, Valentin texted Virginia, asking if she wanted to check out a new art gallery in the West End.

Since Cindy was at her dance class and Virginia had an empty afternoon, she thought about it and texted back a simple 'Sure'.

She changed into a cream-colored cardigan and beige trousers, pairing them with comfortable flats.

With her hair falling loosely over her shoulders, she looked effortlessly chic and relaxed.

Valentin was waiting downstairs, leaning casually against his car.

They moved on to the next piece. Valentin was the perfect companion—charming and funny, but always respectful of her boundaries.

After walking through half the exhibit, a girl asked Virginia to take a photo of her, so Virginia stepped away for a moment.

Valentin waited by one of the displays.

Suddenly, a young woman in a slip dress approached him. Her makeup was flawless, and she looked barely twenty.

"Hi, Mr. Hunter!" she exclaimed, her eyes shining with unconcealed excitement. "I just graduated from Somerset University. I attended your guest lecture on campus!"

Valentin glanced at her and gave a polite nod. "Hello."

The girl stepped closer, eagerly pulling out her phone. "Mr. Hunter, could I get your number? I've admired you for so long, and I really want to..."

"I'm sorry, that wouldn't be appropriate," Valentin said, his brow furrowing as he took a half-step back, his tone polite but firmly distant.

Refusing to take the hint, the girl stepped even closer and brazenly reached out to grab his sleeve. "Please, Mr. Hunter. I'm totally clean, I swear..."