Veil had no time to worry about what Lisa was thinking—he was already feeling a little uneasy himself.
After what had happened to the Murphy family before the Ruilu gathering, Jodie showing up at all was already surprising. Now that he saw her standing alone in a corner, how could he possibly miss the opportunity?
He strode up with a light smile and greeted, "What a coincidence, Miss Jodie Murphy. We meet again."
Jodie frowned and turned, only to see that it was Veil—the man who'd visited her home the other night. She forced a polite smile, nodded slightly, and quickly averted her gaze.
She had no interest in making small talk right now. Her sister had been abducted and was still missing. There wasn't a single lead, and the anxiety gnawed at her like a slow-burning fire.
Either she found her sister and put that fire out—or it would eventually consume her completely.
Jodie did have some goodwill toward Veil. After all, what he'd said at the dinner party that night had struck a chord with her.
But right now? She couldn't afford to think about anything else. Not about other people, not even about her own company's recent internal chaos. None of it mattered.
"You look troubled, Miss Jodie. Did something happen?" Veil said, closing the distance between them with no sign of noticing her coldness.
Jodie frowned. "Mr. Lancaster, I'm not in the mood to talk right now. Can we do this another time?"
"Not in the mood?" Veil feigned confusion. "Wait... could it be that you found out about Uncle Kosdy Murphy's illegitimate son?"
Jodie froze and turned to him with wide eyes, visibly stunned.
"Hmm… doesn't seem like that was it," Veil muttered to himself, as if musing aloud. "Or maybe it's because you found out he's been secretly cashing out company shares to fund that son?"
Jodie stared at him in disbelief, her gaze sharp with both shock and fear, as if she were looking at a stranger.
"How do you know all that? Just who are you?"
With just two sentences, Veil had exposed the ugliest secrets of her family.
Yes—Kosdy Murphy did have an illegitimate child outside. And not just a toddler, but a boy nearly grown—older than Julia by several years.
What did that mean?
It meant her father had been cheating on her mother long before she passed away. That supposedly faithful, respectable father—widely praised in the business world as a man of honor, integrity, and devotion—had been living a lie all along.
And now, for the sake of that illegitimate son, he was openly cashing out the company's assets—assets that her mother had once poured her heart into helping build.
These were Murphy family secrets so deep that even Julia—and some of the company's oldest board members—had no clue.
If Jodie hadn't stumbled upon it herself, she'd still be in the dark.
And now she understood.
This was why she'd pushed herself so hard in the past despite her father's cold disregard, why she fought tooth and nail to prove herself every time he spouted, "Men are naturally more capable than women."
That hidden child had shattered her world.
Who would've thought the man she once idolized had been planning for years to hand everything over to someone else?
"How do you know this? What the hell is going on?!" Jodie's voice trembled, laced with panic. It felt like Veil had peeled back the curtains and seen straight into her soul.
She glared at him, wary and defensive.
Veil shrugged casually. "No need to panic. I actually don't know that much. For example, I only learned about your sister's abduction yesterday afternoon."
Jodie's heart skipped a beat.
Afternoon?
She didn't even hear about Julia's disappearance until that night, when she received a strange phone call.
But Veil had known since the afternoon?
Her voice came out almost involuntarily. "What do you want? Don't hurt Julia—please! I'll do anything you ask, just don't harm her!"
In that moment, Jodie had already labeled Veil as the mastermind. How else could he have known her sister's abduction time before she did?
No wonder he knew so much about her family—he'd been planning this all along.
"Miss Jodie," Veil replied with a bitter smile, "do you really have to pour all this suspicion on me? I can assure you, I had absolutely nothing to do with Julia's disappearance."
"And honestly, haven't you already figured out who's responsible? You're just refusing to admit it."
Jodie's chest rose and fell sharply as she tried to calm her pounding heart. Her instincts screamed caution, but something about Veil's confidence—his knowing—forced her to listen.
"So you know where Julia is?" she asked after a long breath.
Veil nodded. "Not only do I know, but I can bring her back safely."
"What do you want in return? I'll do anything—just bring Julia back," Jodie said firmly, her voice lined with resolve.
Whether Veil was behind it or not, or whether it was someone else—someone whose name had already surfaced in her mind but whom she refused to confront—she no longer cared.
If it meant saving her sister, she was willing to pay any price.
Veil didn't hesitate. He laid it out bluntly: "I want you."
Before she could react, he continued seriously, "The Murphy Corporation—no matter how hard you work, no matter how capable you are—will never truly belong to you. If your father had any intention of passing it down to you, he would've already done so. He wouldn't be cashing out shares in broad daylight."
"He's doing it because he knows you're the stronger one. And once he dies, his son won't stand a chance. So instead of risking everything on a losing battle, he's liquidating assets now, converting them into real money for his son."
Veil's eyes stayed fixed on hers as he spoke. "Jodie, I know what you're capable of. In the business world, you're a killer—calm, sharp, and relentless. Probably fiercer than most men. With what your father's done, there's no way you'll ever let that boy get a cent from Murphy Corporation."
"And if I can see that much, you can bet your father does too. That's why he's trying to prepare while he still can."
Jodie stood there silently, thinking deeply.
Veil pressed on, voice calm and persuasive. "So why not work with me? I'll give you complete freedom—let you run things your way. I won't interfere. You'll have full control—every decision will be yours. You'll be the queen of the company."
"As for profits and shares, we can split them sixty-forty or even fifty-fifty. You choose."
Jodie narrowed her eyes. "And what if I take control and push you out entirely? What if I dilute your shares and seize the company for myself?"
Veil chuckled and shrugged. "If I choose to trust you, then I'll trust you completely. If something like that happens, I'll have no one to blame but myself."
He knew Jodie better than she realized.
She was the kind of woman who repaid every favor tenfold. A heroine of destiny, clear in love and hate.
Betrayal? Usurping power?
Not her style.
And even if she did betray him—so what?
At the end of the day, she was just a regional CEO. She hadn't yet built her empire. She wasn't the Jodie Murphy of legend—not yet.
At least, that's what Veil told himself. Outwardly, though, he kept his expression sincere, masking every calculation behind warm, earnest words.
"I need time to think," Jodie said, her mind still reeling. "I'll give you an answer once I've seen Julia with my own eyes. Is that okay?"
She wasn't ready to decide—not yet.
Veil knew too much. He'd shocked her more than once tonight. And now, with the promise of trust and power on the table, it felt unreal.
Too good to be true.
"Miss Jodie, rest assured—your sister is safe. Sometimes, it pays to think boldly. In this world, anything can happen. The more you see, the more you understand," Veil said gently, giving her shoulder a reassuring pat.
He didn't spell it out directly, but every word nudged Jodie in the direction he wanted her to think.
If he was going to win her over, why not take the opportunity to widen the rift that already existed within the Murphy family?
How else would she make a decision?
"Why do you know so much about my family?" Jodie asked, her gaze sharp with suspicion.
Veil remained perfectly composed. "Miss Jodie, your talent in business is remarkable. I've been keeping an eye on you with the intention of working together. It just so happened I stumbled upon some... delicate matters."
Jodie wasn't someone who lacked confidence. She had spearheaded key reforms in the Murphy Group, and even the seasoned business veterans of Veyport City couldn't always match her. Veil's explanation—if he were indeed trying to recruit her—sounded plausible enough.
She didn't bother putting on the airs of a shy young lady either. Instead, she spoke with urgency, "Can I see Julia sooner? The earlier I know she's safe, the sooner I can give you an answer."
Veil nodded. "Of course. You'll be reunited with her tonight."
He added with a hint of warning, "But don't act rashly. If you come along, you might complicate things. It's better if you wait here."
Seeing the impatience in her eyes, he felt compelled to say it. Dragging around a big liability like her would be a pain.
Without another word, he turned and left the event hall, ignoring even Lisa who tried to call after him, and walked straight out the doors.
In the backseat of a Bentley, Veil calmly spent 32,000 Villain Points to boost his constitution to 100.
System Panel
[Name]: Veil
[Age]: 25
[Constitution]: 100
[Charm]: 98
[Villain Points]: 21,800
[Skills]: Affinity LV8 (Group Affinity +80), Advanced Piano Skills, Advanced Tea Ceremony, Advanced Aesthetic Taste
[Shop]: Active
[Lottery Center]: Active (Consumes 100 Villain Points per draw)
[Inventory]: Black stockings, photo album, electric medical devices...
Once he had adapted to the surge in his physical power, Veil spoke calmly to Kai. "Tell the guys outside to fall back. Just take me straight to the location."
—
Meanwhile, at the kidnappers' hideout—
The room was quiet. Julia sat alone, curled up in a corner, hugging her knees.
Her soft, round cheeks were streaked with tears. Her small body trembled.
She'd been kidnapped. And earlier, those thugs even tried to assault her.
It was terrifying.
Julia had always been the pampered princess of the Murphy family—spoiled, protected, loved. Never had she faced something like this.
It felt like she'd been thrown into a den of wolves, surrounded by monsters that could devour her at any moment.
Thankfully, a woman in a black leather jacket had stepped in earlier. Though Julia didn't catch her face, the woman had scolded the thugs harshly, stopping them from doing anything worse.
Still, the fear, the helplessness, the humiliation—it all churned inside her, building into a suffocating weight.
She sniffled as fresh tears welled up.
Just then, the door creaked open.
Julia looked up.
And there he was—a familiar, handsome face.
"Big Brother!" she cried, stumbling to her feet and rushing into Veil's arms.
Her tear-streaked eyes overflowed with emotion. "Those bad people were so scary! You're here to save me, right? Can we run away now? Please?"
Veil was slightly stunned as her soft form crashed into his chest, like being hit by two oversized balloons. But he quickly steadied himself, gently stroking her head.
"Don't be afraid. I'm here now. No one will hurt you," he whispered.
He continued, his voice soft yet firm, "Wherever you are, whoever it is, as long as I'm alive, I won't let anyone bully you."
Bang!
The door to the side slammed open. Two muscular men with black dragon tattoos stormed in, glaring at Veil.
"The hell's wrong with you?" one of them barked. "Trying to rescue someone with this much noise—are you asking to be caught?"
Julia immediately shrank back, clinging tightly to Veil, her big eyes brimming with tears again.
"If you're scared, just close your eyes. It'll be quiet soon," Veil said gently as he stroked her hair—but inwardly, he sneered.
Make noise? Of course he did. How else would he lure all the thugs here?
How else could he put on a good show in front of Julia?
He raised one finger and casually beckoned the two men, his expression relaxed, even mocking.
"You little bastard, you've got a death wish!"
One of the men cracked his neck and charged, swinging a massive fist straight at Veil's face.
Julia gasped and instinctively covered her eyes.
Crack!
A crisp snap echoed through the room, followed by a guttural scream.
Veil had caught the man's arm mid-swing. With a twist and a flick, he completely nullified the brute's strength.
Then, with a sharp pull and a knee strike, he shattered the man's elbow joint—rendering the arm completely useless.