A loud noise echoed across the square. Jane and Merche turned in surprise to see a cowering Joseph. Wolfgang stood next to him, chin raised high as he glared at the men.

Sensing trouble brewing, Jane quickly stood up. Merche did the same.

“Joseph!”

Jane stepped in front of Joseph to shield him.

“Are you the kid’s mother?”

Merche gaped as she saw the man rudely pointing at Jane.

Jane immediately realized the man was a thug pretending to be a nobleman to extort money.

This was also something Victor and Hamberton did to earn pocket money.

They would loiter around Hausten Street and deliberately cause trouble with young women and children to extort settlement money.

“Yes. I am the child’s mother.”

“What about this clothes, huh? Do you know how much this costs? It’s a shirt made directly by an Hermès designer!”

The man pulled at his sleeve and shoved it in Jane’s face. It did have the Hermès shop’s emblem embroidered on it.

There was no way to verify if it was genuinely embroidered by Hermès though.

“I’ll compensate you. How much will do? 150 marks for one shirt? Or 200?”

The corner of the man’s mouth twitched. He had thought the children’s attire looked quite fine, so they must be from a well-off family.

He was planning to shout a bit and back off with just 50 marks, but hearing such a large amount offered right away made him greedy.

“You’re trying to settle with a mere 200.”

The man approached lazily. A pale-faced Merche tugged at Jane’s collar.

“Just give him what he wants and let’s hurry back, Jane.”

The sheltered Merche was frightened by the rough-looking man. She had never seen a man look at a woman with such disrespectful eyes before. He was the type of person she didn’t even want to associate with.

“Stay back, Merche. Please take care of Joseph.”

Merche shook her head, but Jane’s gaze was too resolute. Merche reached out her hand to take Joseph away.

“Hey now, that little brat can’t leave! He’s the one who messed up my clothes like this. Come here, you!”

Before Jane could stop him, the man lifted Joseph up.

“Uh, uh, uh, p-put me, hic, d-down, please.”

A frightened Joseph gasped for breath. In that moment, sparks flew in Jane’s eyes.

She rushed at the man like lightning and snatched Joseph away. Holding Joseph tightly, Jane shouted.

“What do you think you’re doing!”

“Since you can’t discipline him properly, I’m doing it for you! What else?”

Jane gritted her teeth. She had intended to let it go quietly, but this was too much to bear. For Joseph’s sake too, she needed to clearly show them they were in the wrong.

“Let’s go to the security office. I’ll make sure you’re properly compensated there.”

“What?”

Taken aback by her sudden change in attitude, the man soon puffed up his chest and yelled.

“Do you think I have that much free time? Forget it, just give me the money.”

The man acted as if Jane had money entrusted to him.

“I’ll give it to you at the security office.”

“Hey, hey, listen here, you’ve been speaking informally to me this whole time, huh?”

Seeing that Jane had no intention of easily handing over money, the man created a menacing atmosphere.

People around started glancing their way.

By this point, most would give money and back down just to avoid the noise.

But Jane only raised her chin proudly.

Seeing things going awry, the man’s insides boiled with anger. Usually he would have backed off, sensing trouble, but now he couldn’t.

Because his companions were watching. If he backed down now, they’d tease him for over a month, that was certain.

At this point, it was better to intimidate her more and end this quickly. The man raised his hand high.

“This woman really doesn’t get it when I just use words!”

Jane’s brows furrowed. She set down Joseph, who had calmed down somewhat.

Is she going to give the money now? Just as the man’s eyes lit up with expectation.

Slap.

Jane struck the man’s cheek. Huh? Gasps could be heard from here and there.

“How rude.”

The man forgot his words in shock and gaped like a carp.

Just now, that woman, who looked like she’d break if you pushed her, hit me?

His thoughts weren’t connecting smoothly.

“How dare you point and raise your voice at me? I tried to be civil, but I can’t overlook this anymore.”

“Y-y-you woman……”

“Which family are you from?”

“What?”

“I asked which family’s ruffian you are.”

Of course, he couldn’t answer. Jane pulled up one corner of her mouth in a sneer.

“No doubt some insignificant family.”

Not even that, but Jane said so for now.

“If you want cleaning costs, come to Hastings Street.”

Hastings – at that name, the man’s large body shrank in an instant.

“When you come, be prepared to kneel. You dared to lay hands on a young master of the Hastings family.”

The man had been in a panic since the Hastings name was mentioned. His pupils shook anxiously.

But she’s not blonde, and doesn’t have green eyes…..

He thought it was his lucky day, but it had gone terribly wrong.

“If you have nothing more to say, I’ll be going now.”

I’m sorry, I’ll kneel, I mean I’ll do anything – before the man could grab her, Jane turned sharply.

“Joseph, don’t be scared. The Duke will take care of everything.”

Jane soothed Joseph as she looked around for Merche.

Her busy eyes fixed on one spot. But what she found was not Merche, but Cain.

Cain was looking at Jane and Joseph with a very displeased face.

And beside him was Scarlet. She kept her eyebrows drooped as she alternately looked at Cain and Jane, continuously speaking to Cain.

They were too far to hear, but she could roughly guess what was being said by the lip movements.

“You should go help… If something big happens…”

Scarlet tugged at Cain’s collar. Help Jane, she’s in danger, she seemed to say.

But Cain didn’t move a muscle. Neither did Jane.

Jane’s heart sank. How long had Cain been watching? Had he heard her mentioning the Hastings family too?

‘What if he’s upset?’

Jane had a marriage contract with Cain, but she had no right to use the Hastings family’s authority. It was just a contractual relationship, after all.

Jane tightly gripped the hem of her dress. Cain’s gaze was too cold. It seemed to reproach Jane, asking why she came out causing a disturbance instead of just staying quietly at home.

“Ah, Father……”

Joseph took a deep breath and grabbed Jane’s hand.

‘That’s right, Joseph was here.’

Thanks to Joseph, Jane came to her senses. She carefully thought about what a son should do when meeting his father outside. Of course, he should greet him.

“Joseph, let’s go greet your father.”

Jane patted Joseph’s shoulder and took a step forward.

“How can you hit someone and just leave?”

The man blocked Jane’s path. The man had changed his attitude in a moment.

His reason had gone blind with his pride shattered after being slapped by a woman in front of his companions.

Hastings family? He was scared at first, but this might be better. They’re rich, so he could extort more money.

The man made a racket like a rooster at dawn.

“If you hit someone, you need to pay up!”

Jane squeezed her eyes shut. This man was just like Victor. Bullying the weak, making a fuss without reading the situation.

Jane didn’t want to cause more of a scene. Because Cain was watching.

And beside him was Scarlet. With her hands clasped tightly to her chest, she looked like a deer before a hunter, terrified. It was worlds apart from Jane herself, who had sharply confronted the thug.

She didn’t want to move according to the man’s wishes, but she was embarrassed. At herself, raising her voice and arguing with a thug.

“Please be quiet. How much do you want?”

At Jane’s words, exhaled like a sigh with exasperation, the man’s face brightened.

“I got slapped once, so give me 500 marks. I’ll forget about the clothes.”

Jane rummaged through her small handbag and took out a checkbook. She never thought she’d use Cain’s checkbook like this.

The man glanced at that sight and turned his attention to Joseph.

“Our young master must have been very scared. Should uncle give you a hug?”

As the man stretched out both hands, Joseph hid behind Jane’s skirt. Jane, who was taking out a pen, glared at the man.

“Jane, Joseph.”

Cain called the two. Jane raised her head, clutching the checkbook and pen tightly.

The man behind her froze at the heavy baritone. The Duke of Hastings he had only heard about was behind him.

“Come here, Joseph.”

Cain knelt on one knee and called Joseph. Joseph looked up at Jane. When Jane nodded, Joseph scurried into Cain’s arms.

Cain lifted Joseph as if he were a feather.

“Did you have fun with Jane?”

“Yes. It, it was really fun.”

Joseph smiled brightly at Cain’s gentle act. Seeing this, Jane thought it would be nice if Cain was always gentle to Joseph, even if it was just an act.

Cain approached Jane with a smile on his lips.

“Jane, what’s going on?”

Did he not see anything?

Jane was relieved that he hadn’t seen her pouncing like a fighting cock.

“We had a bit of an altercation.”

“An altercation?”

Cain tilted his head and looked at the man in front of him.

“Well, you see. What happened was……”

“My aide will take care of it.”

Cain looked the man up and down and immediately turned away. The man froze with his mouth open at the coldness flowing from him.

There’s no need to call an aide, just give me a few coins…

The man’s face turned grim.

“Jane, what are you doing? We need to go home.”

Cain, holding Joseph, turned his head after walking a couple of steps ahead. Jane blinked, not understanding. The area under Cain’s eyes twitched. Only Jane noticed this momentary flash of irritation.

He firmly supported Joseph’s bottom with one hand, then came back and took Jane’s hand.

“You must have been very startled. We should see a doctor at home.”

Cain spoke as if for others to hear and pulled Jane’s hand.

Jane still didn’t understand what had happened until then.

The words to go home, the warmth from Cain’s large, warm hand felt unreal.

Jane could hear people’s murmurs faintly in her ears.