Annie looked down, only to see the dazzling necklace in my hand. Her face immediately turned an ugly shade of pale. John, being no stranger to luxury, exchanged glances with her before Annie spoke up first. "Who knows if your necklace is even real? Just because you say it's worth 100 million doesn't mean it is! Besides, even owning an expensive necklace doesn't mean you wouldn't steal someone else's! Who can vouch for you?" "Exactly! If you claim you didn't steal the necklace, open your bag and let us check!" John demanded, his face flushed with anger. "Fine." I shrugged indifferently and opened my purse wide, displaying its contents for all to see. Inside was nothing but a pair of earrings and a pack of tissues, nothing resembling John's so-called stolen necklace. I smirked and tilted my head slightly. "Satisfied?" "This ... " Annie's expression turned deathly pale, her disbelief evident. I caught the flicker in her eyes and couldn't help but find it amusing. Deliberately, I suggested, "Since you've seen nothing in my bag, who's to say that you two weren't the ones playing a trick here? If you don't mind ... " I turned my gaze to Annie. "Why don't we check your bag? Who knows, we might find the missing necklace in there." "That's impossible! How could the necklace be in my bag?!" Annie stiffened, her voice rising in panic. She hastily unzipped her purse to prove her innocence, only to freeze in shock. There it was, the ruby necklace, sitting right inside her bag. "No! This can't be! It wasn't me! I swear it wasn't me!" Annie's voice cracked with panic. "Well, now the truth is out." I curved my lips into a cold smile. "Looks like we all know who the real thief is." When Annie approached earlier, trying to slip the necklace into my bag while I was distracted with Yura, I had noticed. With a swift move, I returned the favor and slipped it back into hers. With my Alpha reflexes, someone as slow-witted as her never could catch on. And yet, she still thought she could frame me? How naive. John's face darkened in an instant. He turned to Annie, his eyes full of fury. "What's the meaning of this! You were trying to steal my necklace!""No, no! It wasn't me! I didn't do it!" Annie's voice trembled as she desperately tried to defend herself. I had no interest in their squabbling. Just as I was about to tell them to get lost, a familiar deep voice rang out from a distance. "Stealing someone else's property and framing another person, both of which are criminal offenses. With a necklace worth two million, I'd say, Ms. Annie, you're looking at a long stay behind bars." That voice is so familiar. My heart skipped a beat. I instinctively turned around, and sure enough, a tall and commanding figure was approaching us. It was Caden! Wasn't he supposed to still be in Yerkshire? Why was he back so suddenly? Sensing my confusion, Caden curved his lips into a subtle smile and coldly instructed the muscular werewolf bodyguards at his side. "Take Ms. Annie to the police station. As for Mr. John, why don't you also accompany her for a statement?" The moment his words fell, two werewolf bodyguards immediately stepped forward. They grabbed Annie, dragging her out of the bar despite her protests. Intimidated by Caden's commanding presence, John didn't dare say another word and slinked away quietly. With the commotion settled, I let out a sigh of relief and turned to Caden. "Why did you suddenly come back? You didn't even give me a heads-up." "I missed you, so I came back." Caden reached out, ruffling my hair affectionately. Then, leaning in, he murmured near my ear, "By the way, your little sleight of hand trick back there was quite impressive." The warmth of his breath against my skin sent a shiver down my spine, and my face involuntarily heated up. "So you saw everything." The switch had been seamless. I was sure Annie hadn't noticed, yet Caden had caught it all. "Of course, I saw it." He arched a brow, amusement dancing in his eyes. "I called earlier just to check where you were. Never expected to witness such an entertaining show." He stepped closer, hands resting on my waist. Our eyes locked, the space between us narrowing to nothing. "But you know what? This is exactly why I like you." His fingers gently brushed aside a strand of hair from my face, tucking it carefully behind my ear. "Did you miss me?" His deep voice sent warmth through me, making my ears burn. To say I hadn't missed him would have been a lie. After a brief pause, I tiptoed and kissed his forehead softly. "They say absence makes the heart grow fonder. I missed you too." Caden blinked in surprise before his lips curved into a slow, satisfied smile. He wrapped his arms around me tighter, resting his chin on my shoulder. "Then just stay still for a moment. Let me hold you like this." I chuckled softly and playfully pushed him away. "Alright, let's take Yura home first. This isn't exactly the best place for sweet talk." Caden reluctantly released me. I helped Yura, still completely intoxicated, onto her feet, and together, the three of us made our way out of the bar.