Virgin At 25-Chapter 102: IT GET’S CONFUSING

The word had barely left Maxie’s lips when a hand clamped around her arm from behind.

She gasped, too stunned to scream... her heart slamming against her ribs as she spun around, expecting a face she dreaded, but it was Tory.

Sweat clung to his forehead, his chest rising and falling like he’d been searching for her everywhere.

"Maxie," he breathed out, voice rough. "What are you doing out here? Why did you come outside alone?"

Maxie’s body jolted like electricity shot through her.

She blinked rapidly, breath catching, panic still sharp in her voice.

"Ooh... Tory," she whispered, relief pouring out of her all at once.

"I... I didn’t know you were already here."

He exhaled shakily, his grip loosening but still warm on her arm.

"I’ve been calling you since I got to the hospital," he said, eyes scanning her face. "You didn’t pick. I panicked."

Maxie swallowed, voice still trembling. "I thought... someone needed me."

Tory frowned. "Who? What happened?"

But Maxie didn’t answer.

Her phone was still glowing in her hand with the last message.

And as Tory followed her gaze, his expression changed, slowly and dark into something cold.

"Who sent that?" he asked quietly.

Maxie’s throat tightened.

"I... The person claimed to be Shar"

"Maxie," he whispered, "we need to get inside. Now."

He guided her back toward the hospital doors, but Maxie couldn’t stop looking over her shoulder.

Because the door she had stepped through only moments before...was still swinging gently.

As if someone else had slipped out.

Or slipped back.

Tory watched her carefully as they walked back toward the hospital entrance, his brows furrowed like he could read every tremor in her body.

"Maxie," he said softly, "you’re shaking."

She forced a smile. Too quick. Too thin.

"I’m fine. Really. Nothing happened."

He slowed his steps, eyes narrowing.

"Maxie... you can’t lie to me. Your pupils are blown, your breathing is uneven, and you look like you just saw a ghost."

Her throat tightened.

"I said I’m okay," she insisted, trying to steady her voice. "It’s... nothing."

Tory didn’t buy it. Not for a second.

But he didn’t push. He only exhaled through his nose, frustrated, and opened the door for her.

They walked toward Marcus’s ward in silence until Tory finally spoke again, quiet, but deadly serious.

"You need to be very careful now."

Maxie glanced at him, confused. "I’ve been getting that a lot ?"

"My father," Tory muttered, jaw tightening, "is capable of anything. Absolutely anything."

Maxie paused mid-step.

He continued, voice low...

"Even if I’m not deep in the family business, I know him. Victor Langley doesn’t stop. He doesn’t get tired. And the law? It can’t hold him. He bends it. Breaks it. Pays it off. Whatever he needs."

Maxie blinked at him, confusion swirling with fear.

"Tory... why are you telling me this... Regardless his your father?"

"Because," Tory said, stopping in front of Marcus’s ward, "I’ll always stand for the right things."

Tory held her gaze.

Maxie’s chest tightened, cold spreading through her stomach.

"But... why would Victor be after Aec? What does he want from any of us?"

Tory shook his head. "I don’t know yet. But you, Maxie..."

His eyes softened.

"you can’t be walking around alone. Not with messages like the one you showed me."

Her fingers tightened around her phone.

The message still glowed there.

A message from someone who is said to be dead...

Maxie swallowed hard.

"Let’s just... let’s go inside," she whispered.

Tory nodded, pushing the ward door open.

Marcus lifted his head the moment they entered.

"Max," he muttered, relieved. "Where did you go?"

Maxie forced another smile, pushing all the fear down, burying it beneath her ribs where it throbbed dangerously.

"Nowhere," she lied gently. "I’m here now."

But Tory stayed by the door, eyes never leaving the hallway.

Maxie couldn’t help but notice.

He wasn’t watching Marcus.

He wasn’t even watching her.

He was watching the shadows like he expected someone or something to step out of them.

NEXT MORNING

Ace woke up with a violent sting running through his skull.

His eyelids dragged open slowly, dry and heavy.

The room felt unfamiliar... Very clean, too spacious, too quiet.

He winced and lifted a hand to his forehead... only to realize the IV line taped to his skin had already run dry. The drip bag hung limp beside the bed, empty.

Ace groaned.

His lips were cracked. His throat felt like sand.

Every muscle in his body protested when he tried to sit up.

But he forced himself anyway.

He swung his legs to the floor. The moment he stood, the world tilted sideways.

He caught himself against the wall, breathing hard through his teeth.

"Fuck..."

He staggered through the hallway, each step a painful limp, one hand dragging along the wall for balance. His vision blurred, but he pushed forward, trying to make sense of where he was.

A living room came into view... large, minimal, expensive.

He blinked hard, trying to steady the spinning in his head.

A faint clatter echoed from somewhere ahead, from the kitchen.

Ace turned stiffly toward the sound, jaw clenched as pain pulsed behind his eyes.

He stepped into the living room... and froze.

A man stood by the kitchen sink, sleeves rolled up, hair messy like he hadn’t slept either. He was rinsing a glass, calm, focused, completely unbothered by Ace’s murderous glare.

Ryan turned when he sensed movement.

"Oh, you’re awake."

Ace narrowed his eyes, his glare cold but weak around the edges.

His entire face carried exhaustion, pain, and frustration... but the hostility was unmistakable.

Ryan lifted his hands a little, peaceful gesture.

"I’m Ryan," he said calmly. "Sharon’s colleague from work."

Ace didn’t blink. Didn’t answer.

Just stared with that cold, assessing silence he was known for.

Ryan exhaled slowly.

"You look like hell," he muttered. "Sit down before you drop."

Ace ignored the comment, straightened, and kept glaring... though the pain made his eyelids twitch.

Ryan opened a cupboard and pulled down a clean glass.

"You should drink water. You’re dehydrated."

He placed the glass on the counter.

Ace stared at it... then at Ryan.

Ryan raised a brow, voice gentle but firm.

"You need it. Seriously."

Ace’s glare didn’t soften. But his body eventually betrayed him.

He stepped forward, slow, heavy, careful not taking his eyes off Ryan. He reached for the glass with deliberate slowness, like he wasn’t sure if he should trust anything in this house.

His hand trembled just slightly as he picked it up.

Ryan notice but pretended not too.

Ace lifted the water to his lips and drank, each swallow tight and painful.

He kept his eyes on Ryan the entire time.

And Ryan... just stood there, watching him with that unnervingly calm expression as if waiting for Ace to speak, explode, or collapse.

When Ace finally lowered the glass, he placed it down harder than necessary.

The sound echoed through the quiet kitchen.

Ryan crossed his arms.

"Maxie said you’d be stubborn."

Ace’s jaw flexed.

Ryan continued, tone steady...

"You’re in my house because you passed out. You were bleeding. And because Victor Langley was searching for you."

But Aec gave no expression of any kind

His fingers curled slowly against the counter, knuckles whitening.

Ryan noticed the shift in his eyes... the darkness that slid in like a shadow.

Ace spoke for the first time... voice hoarse, low, dangerous.

"Where is Maxie?"

Ryan straightened, meeting his stare without fear.

"At the hospital," he said. "Marcus woke up. She rushed back there."

Ace’s eyes narrowed further.

Ryan added quietly...

"And she’s safe. her brother got stabbed "

A beat of silence.Then Ace inhaled painfully through his nose, trying to steady himself.

But his voice shook not from weakness but from something heavier.

"Good."

He pushed away from the counter, sway in his stance, but determination sharpening his expression.

Ryan frowned.

"You’re not going anywhere. You can barely stand."

Ace glared sharply, chest heaving with stubborn breath.

"We’ll see."

Ace’s fingers trembled slightly as he held the bottle of water, gulping like his throat was sandpaper. Ryan only watched him calmly, wiping his hands on a towel before sliding something across the counter.

A black phone.

"I think this is yours," Ryan said. "It was in your pocket. Your mom has been calling for quite some time now. I didn’t pick."

Ace’s pupils sharpened instantly.

He snatched the phone, pain flickering across his jaw as the motion pulled on his tired muscles. The screen lit up...

16 missed calls.

3 voice messages.

’MUM’ flashing repeatedly.

His chest tightened.

He dialed her number immediately. It rang once.

Twice.

Three times. But no answer.

"Pick up... pick up," Ace muttered under his breath, voice cracking with panic. He tried again but same thing. His breathing grew sharper, almost unsteady.

He stood suddenly, the stool scraping loudly across the tiles.

Ryan blinked. "Whoa... easy. What are you doing?"

"I need your car." Ace’s voice was cold but unsteady beneath the pain. "I need to go see my mother. Something is wrong."

Ryan raised a brow, crossing his arms. "I can’t. I’m getting ready for work."

Ace’s eyes snapped up, dark and furious. "I don’t have time..."

"And you’re in no condition to drive," Ryan cut in, stepping closer. "You can barely stand upright. Do you think crashing into a pole will help your mother?"

Ace clenched his jaw hard, breathing through the pain, fists tightening on the counter.

Ryan exhaled sharply and grabbed his keys from the table.

"I’ll drive you," he said. "But you’re not driving anywhere like this."

Ace stared at him for a moment, conflicted...Then finally he nodded once.

"Fine."

Ryan grabbed his jacket. "Let’s go."

Ace followed, still clutching his phone, praying it would ring... praying nothing had already happened.

Ryan was halfway to the door, keys in hand, when Ace’s phone buzzed sharply in his grip.

A single vibration.

He looked down at the screen.

1 new message from Mom.

His heartbeat slammed into his ribs, opened it instantly.

"Sharon is with me."

Sharon? With his mom?

"Hey," Ryan called from the doorway, "are you coming?"

Ace didn’t answer.

He read the message again, his fingers tightening so hard around the phone it almost bent.

A chill shot through him.

Ryan stepped closer, frowning. "Ace? What is it?"

Ace swallowed hard, voice dropping into something low and confused and dangerous.

"My mom... she just texted me."

"And?"

"She said... Sharon is with her."

Ryan stiffened, concern flashing through his eyes. "Sharon? As in... Sharon from work?"

Aec didn’t reply to Ryan anymore

His breath was uneven now, fear and confusion clawing up his spine.

"Ryan," he said quietly, almost shaking...