"Oh, really?" Where is your husband then?" The man exaggeratedly turned his head, pretending to scan the surroundings. He didn't seem to believe Laila's words. Growing anxious, she trembled and retreated once again. There had been men who made unwelcome advances before, but she had never been this frightened. The impact of Stahl's grasp had weakened her spirit.

"He's over there," Laila replied, turning around to gaze at the spot where Cain had been.

"…!"

Her lips involuntarily parted in astonishment. She was certain that he had been there with the secretaries and security personnel, but she couldn't see him anywhere.

"Where exactly?"

The man chuckled softly and asked again, blatantly scanning Laila up and down. Stear’s sinister face overlapped with the man's. Fear swiftly forged her determination to resist.

"Step aside before I scream. Don't cowardly intimidate a defenseless woman."

"What's the matter?" The man raised his clenched fist, contorting his face.

"What do you think you're doing with my wife?" Cain, who had returned from work, wrapped his arms around Laila's shoulders and glared at the man. She was so relieved to see him that tears welled up, and she clung to him tightly. She never expected her husband's voice, which had felt unfamiliar and awkward, to become so comforting.

"What's this? You actually have a husband?" The man exhaled a frustrated breath, as if admitting defeat.

"Pay attention, you fool," Cain said.

Deciding that there was no need to waste any more time, the man spat and turned away. Laila's demeanor changed when she saw Cain, who was bigger and more imposing than herself, and she no longer acted tough when they were alone.

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"Just a moment," Cain called out to the man in a cold voice. Laila, who had thought everything was fine, became uneasy.

As the man turned around with a furrowed brow, Cain reached out his hand towards him.

"You have to give it back. The money you took from my wife's purse."

"Is this guy crazy? What money?"

The man, who had been getting angry, lowered his gaze and flinched when his eyes met Cain's. He swiftly rolled his eyes, seemingly contemplating whether to fight or speak. Pressured by Cain's dominance and perceiving that he was not an ordinary rich man, he appeared conflicted. His decision came after he noticed Chase and the bodyguard watching this side from a distance.

"Ah, unfortunate luck," he muttered under his breath.

As if anticipating the outcome, he took out his wallet from his pocket and threw it to the ground. The coat hanging from his arm served to hide the stolen money. Perhaps feeling embarrassed, he spat on the ground once more and quickly distanced himself.

"Are you alright?"

"Yes," replied Laila as she picked up the wallet, brushing off the dirt. It was the money that Cain had taken care to provide, telling her to spend it as she pleased. The amount was substantial, and she had been hesitant to use it, almost considering discarding it altogether.

An involuntary laughter escaped her lips. Growing up on Blast Street, she had seen countless pickpockets, yet now she found herself foolishly falling victim. When she caught sight of Cain, she was taken aback and unknowingly started to believe in a world beyond the Blast Street.

"I should not be alone from now on," Cain said with a smile, bending his arm to create a space. She understood that it meant he wanted her to link arms with him.

"I apologize. I will be more careful," Laila said cautiously, placing her arm in his. Since the situation had already ended, she decided not to ask where he had gone earlier. It wasn't the time to dwell on such questions.

Cain pressed her arm, which was intertwined with his, using his other hand. Various emotions emerged from the unfamiliar act of linking arms with someone. The sensation of being connected with another person for the first time was peculiar, and the uneasiness that had awakened when they encountered the pickpocket earlier subsided.