Virgin At 25-Chapter 95: IT LOOM’S THROUGH EVERY LANGLEY

THIRD PERSON POV

Maxie moved down the police station steps like she was walking through smoke, barely seeing, barely breathing, her mind replaying Diana’s last words over and over again.

"...the person you’re calling to ask about is dead."

Her chest squeezed so hard she thought her ribs would crack.

She wiped her eyes with her sleeve, muttering curses under her breath, too angry to think straight, too terrified to slow down.

Then...

She collided into someone.

Hard.

Her phone nearly slipped again.

"Can you not..." she snapped, ready to bite the stranger’s head off.

But when the man’s face came into focus...She froze.

"Tory...?" she breathed.

He stood there, same piercing eyes, same calm, unreadable expression, the same stranger who stepped in during her fight with Jake months ago.

Only now... something about him felt heavier. Darker. Like he had been expecting her.

His gaze swept over her trembling hands, her red eyes, her shaking breath.

"Maxie," he said quietly.

She didn’t care. Atleast not today.

Not now.

She scoffed, rolled her eyes, and brushed past him. "Please, I don’t have the energy for mysterious men today."

He reached out, fingers closing around her arm.

She yanked her hand away immediately.

"Don’t touch me!" she snapped. "Not today, please."

And she stormed past him.

One step, then two and the third, mind screaming, her body shaking.

Four.

Five...

She stopped, dead still like she remembered something. Her breath hitched.

Her voice was barely a whisper.

"...He’s a Langley too."

She turned her head slowly... very slowly... and looked back.

Tory was still standing where she left him, watching her.

As if he already knew.

As if he was waiting for her to remember exactly who he was.

And why that mattered.

Maxie swallowed hard.

Then she turned fully toward him.

"Tory," she said, her voice low, trembling, "we need to talk."

Tori’s eyes narrowed slightly, studying her like he was reading every emotion she was trying to hide.

"Talk?" he repeated.

Maxie nodded once, jaw tight. "Yeah. Now."

A beat of silence passed before he gave a small, controlled breath.

"Fine," he said. "There’s a café across the street. We can sit..."

"No."

The word shot out of her mouth instantly.

Tory raised a brow.

"We’re not going anywhere," Maxie continued, arms folding tightly across her chest. "We talk here. Right here."

"Maxie..."

"I’m not stepping into any building with a Langley," she snapped. "Not after what I just heard. Not after what’s happening to Sharon."

His expression didn’t change, but something in his eyes flickered.

Quiet. Sharp. Dangerous.

"Alright," he said finally. "Here it is."

He took a small step closer, not threatening, but enough to make her feel the weight of his presence.

"You want to talk? Then talk."

Maxie swallowed, fear and anger twisting in her stomach.

"Good," she whispered. "Because I need answers."

Maxie took a breath, forcing the words out before her courage snapped.

"That day we... met. The last date," she said, her voice tight. "I didn’t disappear for no reason."

Tory said nothing.

Just stared.

Expression blank.

Unreadable.

Like she was speaking to a wall.

"I left because I found out you were connected to my company," she went on, waving her hand impatiently. "You are Victor Langley’s son. I wasn’t going to be involved with anyone tied to my boss."

Still no reaction. Not even a blink.

"Are you not surprised?" she snapped.

Tory tilted his head slightly.

"...Go on."

Maxie’s jaw tightened.

Fine. He wanted honesty? He would choke on it.

"I work at Diana’s company."

She said it deliberately, slowly.

"Your sister-in-law."

This time there seemed to be a flicker of shock on his face

Barely there. But Maxie caught it.

His eyes sharpened, his shoulders stiffened for half a second.

She pretended not to notice and pushed forward.

"Yes. That Diana," she added with a bitter laugh. "The one who got married to your brother"

"Step brother" Tory replied with a frown that disappeared immediately he called the name

She stopped, breath shaking, she knew immediately that they didn’t have a good history.

Tory looked at her fully now, face tightening, like the name Diana triggered something dark in him too.

Maxie swallowed.

"I didn’t know you were a Langley, trust me... ," she said quietly. "And when I did... everything made sense. What you said about being an outcast because you are not the type to be involved in company business ."

Her fingers clenched.

"It all makes sense now."

Tory’s jaw moved once, like he was holding back something.

Finally, he spoke, voice low.

"You shouldn’t be involved in any of this."

"Involved in what?" Maxie asked but there was no response from Tory

Maxie’s eyes flared. "Too late. I already am."

She took a step closer, chest rising with anger and fear.

"You’re a Langley too," she said. "So don’t stand here pretending you’re innocent. Your family, your people took Sharon. And I need to know why."

Tory’s entire expression changed.

Not anger.

Not shock.

Something else... Something calculating.

He leaned down slightly, lowering his voice.

"If you work for Diana... then you’re ..."

Maxie looked at him sternly "What?"

"Never mind, come with me " he held her hand before she could even agree to go with him

Tory grabbed her wrist, lightly, not hurting her, but firm enough to show urgency.

Maxie jerked back like he burned her.

"Excuse you?" she snapped. "I didn’t agree to follow any Langley anywhere."

Tory exhaled sharply and looked around.

Not just around but behind her, across the street, up at the rooftops, the parked cars.

Like he was checking for eyes.

Or ears.

"Tory?" Maxie whispered, her voice tightening with alarm. "What are you looking for?"

He didn’t answer.

Instead, he stepped closer and lowered his voice until it was barely a breath.

"Maxie... you shouldn’t talk about Diana out here."

Her blood went cold.

She glared at him. "So you do know what’s going on?"

"I don’t," he said immediately. Too quickly.

But his eyes, those eyes said he knew something.

"Then why are you acting like someone is about to shoot us?"

"Because someone might."

His tone was flat. No hesitation.

Maxie’s heart skipped.

"What are you talking about?" she demanded.

Tory rubbed a hand over his jaw, frustrated.

"This family... they clean things. Remove problems. Make people disappear. That’s all I’ll say."

Maxie shook her head violently.

"You make it sound like it not your family. Tell me what you know about Sharon. Now."

Tory’s frustration turned into something like shock.

"Sharon?" he repeated. "I, Maxie...I didn’t even know someone by that name was involved until you just told me."

"You’re lying."

"I’m not!"He looked genuinely confused and plain

"As far as I know," Tory continued, "anyone my father touches ends up..."

He stopped himself.

Maxie’s stomach dropped.

"Ends up what?" she whispered.

Tory looked away.

"Gone."

A heavy, suffocating silence enveloped them and Maxie’s throat tightened painfully.

"You think she’s dead too..." she said shakily.

Tory snapped his gaze back to her.

"No. I didn’t say that. I don’t know what Victor does with people. Because I was never allowed in his circle. I was the... mistake. The child that didn’t fit. I stayed away. I write. I live far from the estate. I don’t attend meetings. They don’t trust me with anything."

Maxie searched his face.

He wasn’t lying.

Finally.

Something inside her cracked.

"So you’re useless to me," she whispered.

Tory’s jaw clenched, offended, but he didn’t deny it.

He took a breath.

"But I know one thing."

Maxie looked up.

Tory’s voice was low, urgent

"If Diana is involved... then you need to stop asking questions out here. Or you’ll be next.

Maxie froze.

Then something hardened inside her.

"No," she said. "I’m not running. Not hiding. What will happen to Sharon if I do..."

Tory reached for her again.

"Maxie..."

She stepped back, lifting her chin.

"Tell me how to get answers."

Tory stopped.

His expression shifted, conflict, fear, then a slow, resigned acceptance.

"I can’t tell you," he said. "But I can take you to someone who will."

Maxie’s breath caught.

"Who?"

Tory swallowed...

Maxie blinked at him. Her pulse hammered in her ears.

"Hold on," she whispered. "Why is Diana so involved in this? Why does it sound like you think she’s more dangerous than Victor... or even your mother?"

Tory’s jaw tightened instantly.

His eyes flicked away.

And for the first time since she met him, he looked genuinely afraid.

"Maxie," he said quietly, "don’t say Diana’s name like that again."

Maxie stepped closer.

"No," she shot back. "You don’t get to protect her. Not when Sharon is missing. Not when you just said people disappear around this family. So tell me, why does everyone act like Diana is the real devil in this?"

Tory’s throat bobbed as he swallowed hard.

"Because she is," he muttered.

Maxie frowned.

"That doesn’t even make sense. She’s not a Langley by blood."

Tory’s laugh was short, humorless.

"That’s exactly what makes her dangerous."

Maxie’s eyes widened.

"What does that even mean?"

Tory looked straight at her, expression carved with something cold and resigned.

"You think Victor is the monster," he said. "But Diana... she’s the one he’s afraid of."

Maxie’s breath hitched.

"Afraid?" she whispered.

"How can Victor be afraid of his..."

Tory interrupted sharply.

"You wanted to know why she’s involved?" he said. "Why she’s worse than Victor?"

Maxie nodded slowly.

Tory leaned in, lowering his voice even though no one was around.

His next words were quiet.

Too quiet.

And each one felt like a blade pressed to her throat.

"Because Diana didn’t marry into this family..."

he said.

Maxie frowned.

"What are you talking ab..."

Tory’s lips tightened.

"She built it."

She stared at him, numb.

"Tory..." she whispered. "What do you mean she built it?"

Maxie scoffed ridiculously " it’s clear now that you know nothing about your family, because from what I know Diana is the one scared and under your family.

Tory took a shaky breath.

"Victor and Camila may be Langleys by name," he said softly.

"But Diana... Diana is the one who owns them."

He stepped back as if saying it was dangerous

Maxie’s blood ran cold.

"What?" she breathed.

Tory leaned in just once more, voice a razor’s edge.

"She doesn’t run the company, Maxie."

He paused.

"She runs the family, except she doesn’t know she has that much power yet"

Maxie held her hands up in the air "Oh Jesus, Tory... you are confusing the hell out of me"

"And whatever happened to Sharon?" He continued like he didn’t hear what she just said

A swallow.

"It wasn’t Victor’s order."

He looked her dead in the eyes.

"It was hers."