His Wicked Obsession (Archer and Virginia) novel Chapter 225

Brighton immediately burst into loud, hysterical sobs.

Mrs. Preston was entirely blindsided by the sudden twist. She stupidly started pounding her fists against her husband. "Are you insane!? Why are you hitting our son!?"

"Shut your mouth!" Mr. Preston roared back at her, his hands still shaking wildly as he plastered on a terrified smile and bowed deeply to Archer.

"Mr. Vanderbilt, I am so incredibly sorry! This is entirely my fault for failing to discipline him properly! I promise to handle this immediately!"

Mrs. Preston opened her mouth to argue, but her husband grabbed her arm and Brighton's wrist in a vise grip, forcefully dragging them both toward the door.

"I said shut up! Get moving! Unless you want to see our entire family utterly ruined, keep walking!"

"Let go of me, Brighton is..."

"That's Archer Vanderbilt! The CEO of the Vanderbilt Group! He holds our entire livelihood in his hands! If you make another scene, I swear to God I'll divorce you."

Mrs. Preston's face went completely ghostly pale, all the fight instantly draining out of her.

As Brighton was being dragged out the door, he suddenly turned around, his face smeared with snot and tears, and shouted back at Cynthia.

"Cynthia! I just think you're really pretty! I pulled your hair because I like you and wanted to play with you! I'm sorry..."

Safe in Archer's arms, Cynthia peeked her little head over his shoulder. Her tiny face scrunched up in an adorably serious expression.

"Mommy says that if you really like someone, you would never want to hurt them. So you don't like me at all."

Once the Preston family vanished, Ms. Lane looked even more terrified than before.

She had seen this handsome man pick up Cynthia a few times, but she had absolutely no clue he wielded such immense power. The wealthy CEO of the Preston Group had practically groveled at his feet.

"Mr. Archer," Cynthia whimpered, her little eyes still rimmed with red.

Archer held her securely with one arm while using his free hand to gently inspect the nasty red scrape.

"Does it hurt?"

"A little..." she mumbled, her sweet voice slightly hoarse from crying.

The suffocating tension in the office just moments ago had left her too terrified to even breathe.

Thank god Mr. Vanderbilt hadn't blamed the school for their negligence. Otherwise, she was absolutely certain she'd be looking for a new career.

"Thank you. Let's go," Virginia said softly.

The three of them walked out of the kindergarten, escorted by the teacher.

The Maybach was idling by the curb. The moment Zachary spotted them, he leaped out to pull open the rear door.

Archer carefully strapped Cynthia into her car seat before stepping aside to let Virginia in.

Without overthinking it, she ducked her head to slide into the back seat.

As they brushed past each other, they were close enough to breathe in the intoxicating scent of one another.

Archer stared down at her. A gentle breeze lifted a stray lock of her hair, the ends grazing his neck and sending a delicious shiver down his spine. His eyes darkened instantly, and his Adam's apple bobbed in quiet hunger.