His Wicked Obsession (Archer and Virginia) novel Chapter 94

Initially, Virginia didn't think much of it.

Interns were prone to careless mistakes; it was part of the learning curve.

That changed one afternoon when a glaring error surfaced in the follow-up records of a patient struggling with severe anxiety.

Hailey had mistakenly logged last week's assessment results into the current week's file. The data discrepancies forced Virginia to spend nearly twenty minutes cross-referencing everything during the consultation. The delay pushed the highly anxious patient to the brink of a complete meltdown in the therapy room.

Drawing on her years of clinical experience, Virginia quickly managed to de-escalate the situation, soothing the patient and conducting a highly effective therapy session.

Once the patient was safely out the door, she called Hailey into her office.

"What exactly happened today?"

"I... I thought last week's assessment results were just for the archives, so I put them in this week's folder," Hailey muttered, her lips pressed into a tight, defiant line.

"You've been at this clinic for a while now. If I remember correctly, you're up for a permanent position next month. A rudimentary mistake like this is beneath you. So, tell me what's really going on."

Virginia sat behind her desk, her gaze sharp, piercing straight through the young intern's defenses.

Hailey stared at the floor in silence, her hands nervously twisting the hem of her scrub top.

Virginia's tone was flat, yet an undeniable chill laced her words. "Hailey, someone at the nurses' station mentioned that I was a homewrecker years ago. That rumor started with you."

It wasn't a question; it was a statement of fact.

Hailey's body stiffened, and her face flushed crimson. "I... I just..."

"I assumed you were an adult capable of critical thinking. Did you bother to verify a single word of what you were told? As a professional, someone on the verge of becoming a fully licensed therapist, do you honestly believe your behavior is justifiable?"

Virginia spoke with clinical detachment, devoid of any raw emotion.

...

A few days later, Helena dropped by to see Virginia after taking Cindy to school.

She was dressed in a chic, light gray cashmere jacket paired with a matching maxi skirt. A matching set of pearl jewelry adorned her neck and wrists, radiating an aura of effortless wealth and grace.

Informed by the receptionist that Virginia was currently in a session, Helena made herself comfortable in the lounge area and started scrolling through her phone.

Not long after, she overheard hushed voices murmuring nearby.

She wasn't one to eavesdrop or involve herself in gossip, and she was prepared to ignore it entirely until she heard the name "Dr. Caldwell." She immediately looked up.

"I saw it online. It's the Dr. Caldwell who works here. Apparently, she was the other woman in a huge scandal a few years ago. The guy was some billionaire CEO, and his partner was this super famous pianist..."

"Oh, I know. It's just like those soap operas. She clearly had her eyes on his bank account, chasing the money..."