Chapter 525 Why Is She Prettier Than Me?
As dusk fell, James drove Mary to Grandma's Black Tea.
Christopher had called again with an update: Zander Lawson, head of the eighty-eighth hall of the Ultimate Martial Arts Academy, had shown up with Asher and a gang of disciples, threatening to trash the shop. They'd refused to call the number James provided, insisting that Christopher bring James back—they wanted to destroy the place while he watched.
Their arrogance didn't anger James. If anything, he looked at the situation with something like pity.
"We're opening in two days," Mary reminded him as they drove. "Try not to let blood get spilled—it would be bad for business. We could just call the police."
She worried he might go on a rampage and create more problems.
"Relax. I won't kill anyone. I probably won't even lift a finger," James said, stopping at a red light. "And forget the police. They're off duty. No need to bother them with this."
While waiting for the light to change, he sent a quick text.
Twenty minutes later, they arrived at Great Grandma's Black Tea. Unlike the Garcia Group's bright lights and decorations across the street, the tea shop looked dim. The street lamps had been turned off, and several dozen athletic-looking men and women surrounded the place.
Asher and Genevieve were among the crowd, clustered around a middle-aged man. Standing at 6'5" with a massive build, he towered over everyone like a steel column. He was waving a baseball bat at Christopher and shouting.
"When is James coming back?" He pounded the door frame. "Get him here now! I'm going to smash this place in front of him, then break his arm. He attacked someone at my gym. He has to pay."
When James had beaten Allan, the coaches hadn't started their classes, and the staff had been on break. By the time they learned about the fight, James was long gone. Allan had played the victim, stirring up outrage among the instructors. After greasing a few palms, he'd persuaded the Mystic Alliance members to seek revenge.
"Last chance," Zander announced. "Ten more minutes, then things get ugly."
Asher, Genevieve, and the others chimed in like a chorus. "Bring James out!"
"I'm here, I'm here," James called, leading Mary through the crowd. He smiled at Zander. "I'm James. What seems to be the problem?"
He ushered Mary into the shop to keep her safe in case things got violent.
The crowd fell silent, surprised by his boldness. Then their attention shifted to Mary, stunned by her beauty. Unlike the Instagram-perfect influencers they were used to seeing, Mary's natural elegance was breathtaking—clean, sophisticated, alluring, yet somehow approachable. Next to her radiance, women like Genevieve suddenly felt plain, like ducklings staring at a swan.
From a Maserati parked nearby, Hestia sat up straight, staring at Mary. How did James know such a gorgeous woman? How had he found someone even more stunning than herself?
The bitter realization hit her—she and Mary weren't even in the same league. Setting aside Mary's overwhelming beauty, the aura she projected was something Hestia couldn't hope to match. As proud as she was, even she couldn't claim to outshine Mary.
What right did James have to find someone better than her?
"That's him!" Genevieve shouted, breaking the silence. "He's the one who attacked Allan!"
"He injured him and treated us like we were nothing!"
"He said no one at the eighty-eighth hall could fight—even you would be no match for him!"
Zander stepped forward, nostrils flaring. "So you're the one who attacked my gym?"
"Mr. Lawson, right? You seem a little worked up," James said calmly, picking up a cup of tea. "Why not have some tea first? Then we can talk this through."
"You want me to drink tea? Now?" Zander laughed in disbelief. "And then 'talk'?"
James's casual demeanor—plus the beautiful woman by his side—infuriated him. While Zander was only the head of the eighty-eighth hall, he was still a mid-level executive in the Mystic Alliance. Even Allan wouldn't dare be so dismissive, let alone a tea seller.
The crowd looked at each other in bewilderment. Did this guy not understand the situation? The enemy was at his doorstep, and he wanted to leisurely sip tea?
James maintained his serene smile. "That's right. A cup of tea would do you good."
"Talk my ass!" Zander knocked the cup from James's hand, tea splashing across the pavement. "A tea seller thinks he can negotiate with me? I'm here to teach you a lesson and destroy your shop—"
"You shouldn't have said that."
Before Zander could finish, a cool voice cut through the crowd. Several men and women pushed through from behind.
Asher and the others started to protest but fell silent when they saw who had arrived.
Zander turned around, rage still on his face. "Who dares interfere?"
His expression faltered as a woman in white walked toward them. It was Ember, Sovereign City's Mystic Alliance's top talent and one of Uri's most valued members. She not only outranked Zander by far but also supervised the eighty-eighth hall and others.
When James saw Ember, his face showed no reaction. He simply turned to brew a fresh pot of tea, the strong flame quickly heating the water.
"Ember!" Zander hesitated before breaking into a nervous smile. "This is just a small matter. I can handle it. You didn't need to come personally." He thought she was there to help him.
A slap echoed through the street. "Who gave you the nerve to challenge Mr. Williams?" Another slap followed. "Who do you think you are?"
Ember showed Zander no mercy, slapping him repeatedly until his cheeks swelled and blood trickled from his nose. "When Mr. Williams offers you tea, that's your lucky day. And you dare refuse his generosity?"
Of all the people he could have bothered, he had to pick James? The bald fighter had been sunk, Zane crushed, even Uri had bowed his head. Making James angry could cost Ember her life.
The thought of being dragged into this mess drove her into a rage. She beat Zander until his face was barely recognizable.
Zander was dazed but didn't fight back. "Ember, I'm sorry," he whimpered. "I didn't know he was under your protection."
Genevieve and the others gasped. No wonder James was so bold—he had someone as powerful as Ember backing him.
"Protection? Compared to Williams, I have no fighting ability whatsoever," Ember said, delivering another kick. "How could I possibly protect him? You know nothing, yet you run your mouth?"
She grabbed Zander by the collar. "If you weren't trained by me, I'd run you through with my sword right now."
With a final slap, Ember kicked Zander to the ground in front of James. "Kneel and apologize properly. If you don't get Mr. Williams to forgive you, you'll kneel here until you die."
Then she slapped her own face twice. "Mr. Williams, I'm so sorry. I failed to discipline him properly."
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