The sound of a walking stick striking the floor sounded from outside the room. The woman spoke again, her voice getting louder as she approached. "Ever since we met you, we've suffered. But we're not an ordinary family, and you can't humiliate us like this."
Everyone waited in anticipation to see who the woman was. They all looked at one another and started to feel calmer.
Alex was surprised the woman seemed to know who he was, and despite that, she still had the confidence to confront him.
Maria was still in a daze and didn't seem to notice the woman. But Alex had stopped paying attention to her, leaving her disappointed and missing his attention. When she realized that, a feeling of shame and anger came over her, and she tore her gaze away from Alex.
She couldn't understand what was wrong with her. She was confused and felt torn between love and hate.
Maria was naturally drawn to dominant men, so Alex was her ideal partner, and she was so fascinated with him that she kept forgetting he was the enemy.
The woman's voice drew Maria out of her daze and helped to clear up her confusion. Within moments, she was able to recognize that Alex was an enemy and not the hero she had been captivated by. She remembered the dangerous situation she was in and reminded herself that if she made the wrong move, he might kill her.
At first, Maria didn't recognize the old woman, although she seemed familiar. But upon a closer look, she waved her hands at the woman and cried, "Grace, help me!"
Maria knew the woman as Grace Thornton. She hadn't seen Grace in many years, because
Grace normally lived in seclusion and hadn't appeared in public for many decades. Only a select few knew that her martial arts skills were superior to those of Ferdinand and Ash.
Grace didn't usually get involved in the family's conflicts and nor did she ask for news of their affairs. However, everyone respected her as an older member of the family.
Grace hadn't appeared when Ash had broken his leg, nor when there had been injuries and deaths in the family, so Maria was flattered that she had appeared at her moment of need.
Maria thought it must be because Grace had raised her as a child.
The sound of Grace's walking stick hitting the ground was rhythmic and orderly. As she walked into the middle of the room, people moved away, making space for her.
"Grace, you must deal with this man for me," shouted Maria, pointing at Alex. "He has humiliated me."
Grace looked at Maria and shook her head. "Maria, can you still not protect yourself?" she asked. "Do you still need to rely on me?"
She walked toward Alex.
"Grace!" called a member of the Thornton family, looking concerned. "Be careful."
Everyone had their eyes fixed on her, waiting to see what she would do.
Melvin, Riley, and some of the others were excited to see Grace. They had heard a lot about her, and now they were finally seeing her in person.
The Thornton family had gone through difficult times, dealing with all kinds of enemies, and Grace had never shown up to help.
But she had turned up now, so everybody knew that Alex must be a great danger to them. It also showed how much importance the Thorntons attached to Maria.
They all remembered the stories of when the Thornton family had been besieged by five different sects and had suffered heavy losses. In the end, Grace had fought the five sects single-handedly, and she had emerged victorious. The heads of the five sects had been forced to surrender, but Grace had never forgiven them. She had vowed not to rest until all the Thorntons' enemies were dead. Since that day, everyone had been careful to treat her with respect.
Alex had an indifferent expression on his face and didn't seem to take any of his opponents seriously. But he recognized that Grace was more powerful than Sam had been.
Grace looked at Alex and asked, "So you still refuse to let her go?"
Her voice was not loud nor angry, but she spoke with authority.
"Growing up, I witnessed a lot of blood-shed," she said, watching Alex. "Now, I don't want to see it anymore. You're a talented young man, and I don't want to hurt you, but I have to defend my family. If you save Gabriel, I will let bygones be bygones. No one else needs to die here."
The sound of her walking stick hitting the floor comforted the other members of the Thornton family. They were convinced that she would deal with Alex.
Alex saw how much reverence the other Thorntons had for her. It was clear that Grace had been around for a long time and had a lot of wisdom. Her hair was still dark, and she seemed much younger than she was, but her eyes gave her away.
She gave Alex a sharp look. "Your expression shows that you don't respect me," she said.
Alex frowned.
"If you don't agree to my request, then I'll make you pay for it," she continued.
Grace continued to casually walk toward Alex. Everyone was surprised by her calmness, but as she passed by, they noticed that cracks appeared on the floor tiles where she struck them with her stick.
The Thorntons felt reassured. Grace was a martial arts expert, and if she could crack the floor with her walking stick, then she could defeat anyone, and nobody would be able to stop her.
Although Grace was old, she had excellent fighting skills. Normally, she had a good temperament and a warm, friendly face. But now she looked at Alex with a cold expression.
"Do as I say," she ordered, her voice full of confidence. "I'll give you one more chance."
Alex looked at her scornfully and thought, What a deluded woman!