His Wicked Obsession (Archer and Virginia) novel Chapter 57

That evening.

Cindy finally tired herself out playing guessing games with Nine, and after the nanny put her to bed, the apartment fell quiet.

Virginia sat on the living room sofa, a medical journal resting half-open on her lap. She hadn't absorbed a single word.

She walked over to Model 919, crouched down, and poked its round, metallic head.

"Nine."

"Hello, Master," Nine's light pulsed.

"Tell me, does he really think I'm that kind of malicious person?"

Virginia stayed crouched, her voice muffled. "She has a fragile mental state, but I'm supposed to just take it?"

She paused for two seconds, her voice growing quieter, thick with bitterness.

"She framed me, and he just blindly believed her?"

Talking to herself, she didn't actually expect an answer from the machine. She patted its smooth head, stood up, and went to take a shower.

Nine's light dimmed as it quietly retreated into the corner.

In the study of Archer's villa, he sat leaning back in his chair, his expression dark as thunder. On his screen was the transcript of that exact conversation.

He stared at the words: *She has a fragile mental state, but I'm supposed to just take it? She framed me, and he just blindly believed her?*

He lifted his hand, but his fingers froze over the keyboard.

His chest felt terrifyingly tight. He closed his eyes and finally exited the terminal interface.

...

A few days later, Valentin Hunter called.

She was wearing a slate-gray silk midi dress that cinched perfectly at the waist and fell just past her knees, highlighting the elegant slope of her shoulders and back.

Her hair was swept up into a loose, high messy bun, with two stray strands framing her neck. The outfit completely stripped away her usual clinical distance, leaving her looking effortlessly soft and radiant.

Flustered by his direct compliment, the tips of Virginia's ears grew warm. She offered a faint smile. "Thank you. Let's go before we're late."

Valentin let out a low chuckle, deciding not to tease her further, and drove toward the convention center.

The venue was packed. Huge lines stretched out from the entrance, and extra security had been deployed to manage the registration desks.

Using his VIP passes, Valentin ushered Virginia through the fast-track lane, bypassing the crowds completely and stepping straight into the main exhibition hall.

The ceiling was vaulted high above them, with major tech booths forming a massive ring around a central curved stage. A gigantic LED screen served as the backdrop, looping promotional videos from the exhibiting companies.

Valentin glanced down at the itinerary in his hand. "There's a keynote presentation at two-thirty. Word is, they invited some industry heavyweights. Come on, let's grab a seat."

Not long after they sat down, the lights dimmed. The host stepped onto the stage to hype up the crowd, before announcing the very first speaker—