His Wicked Obsession (Archer and Virginia) novel Chapter 51

Doctor White was looking down to write his notes, but the moment he glanced up, he saw her deathly pale face and bloodless lips.

"Virginia," he blurted out, startled.

She had her eyes closed, her brow tightly furrowed. Gripping the edge of the desk, she barely managed to steady herself. "I'm fine... probably just my blood sugar dropping..."

Before she could finish, her strength suddenly vanished, and she collapsed backward.

Heart leaping into his throat, Doctor White jumped up and reached out to catch her.

But separated by the wide consultation desk, he was too far away.

In that hair-raising split second, a strong arm caught Virginia firmly around the waist from behind, pulling her flush against a solid chest.

The familiar, heavy scent of oud and bergamot made her heart tremble.

"Virginia, are you alright?" a deep voice rumbled from above, carrying an almost imperceptible edge of tension.

Was that Archer?

Why was he here?

Archer had visited the clinic today to discuss a medical equipment partnership with the board. As he passed the consultation room, he spotted her through the glass panel on the door.

He had only paused for a moment, fully intending to leave with his entourage, when his peripheral vision caught her swaying frame.

Before he could even process it, pure instinct took over. He shoved the door open and rushed inside.

The moment he caught her, he was stunned by how impossibly light she felt in his arms.

She was even thinner than she had been five years ago—nothing but a fragile frame with barely any weight to her.

Archer frowned, a sudden, inexplicable wave of irritation crashing over him.

"When was the last time she ate?" he demanded, looking at Doctor White. His voice wasn't loud, but it hummed with barely contained fury.

She wasn't taking care of herself at all!

Doctor White pushed his glasses up his nose, maintaining a calm tone despite the sudden wave of guilt. "Probably... last night?"

As her mentor, he couldn't help but feel responsible for his protégé suffering from sudden hypoglycemia.

Virginia knew he was still there, but given their current relationship, she had no idea how to face him.

She decided to keep her eyes closed, feigning sleep.

The quiet hospital room was filled only with the steady drip of the IV. Drip, drop. Surprisingly, Archer found himself experiencing a profound sense of peace he hadn't felt in a very long time.

Virginia's consciousness drifted between clarity and a foggy haze. In her semi-awake state, old memories bubbled to the surface, causing the Archer of the past and the Archer of the present to blur together.

A lump formed in her throat, and a tiny spark of warmth touched her heart.

Without realizing it, enveloped in the rich scent of oud and bergamot, she actually drifted off to sleep.

About half an hour later, her eyes fluttered open. The IV needle in the back of her hand stung a little, and she instinctively twitched her fingers.

"You're awake?"

The low, slightly exhausted voice was much too close.

Virginia's heart skipped a beat. She turned her head, instantly locking eyes with Archer.