Very soon, Jodie placed two sets of bowls and chopsticks on the table and urged the Davenport father and daughter to take their seats. Only then did she open her mouth to ask,
"Uncle Joseph, what brings you here today? And with Sierra too? Surely you didn't come all this way just for a meal?"
Joseph didn't bother to hide his intentions and spoke frankly.
"The company's run into some trouble. I was actually going to ask your father for a loan. But he said he's not in the mood lately. Claimed you and your sister have been staying out all day and refusing to come home, and that he's just an old man, alone and disheartened, with no energy to deal with company affairs."
One was a businessman facing financial hardship; the other, blocked by familial estrangement.
Coincidentally, Sierra had a good relationship with the Murphy sisters.
Kosdy was interested, and Joseph was willing. One spark of cooperation, and here they were.
Joseph wasn't stupid. Sooner or later, this would have to be said. He simply took advantage of Jodie's question to state his purpose outright.
To improve his odds, he had even brought along his daughter—playing the emotional card.
A sly old fox, no doubt.
Jodie's expression darkened at once, and her tone turned noticeably stiff. It wasn't that she held any grudge against Joseph himself—just deep discomfort toward the man he represented.
"Uncle Joseph, you might not know everything going on within the Murphy family. Even if you came to me for a loan, I wouldn't be able to help. I've already left the Murphy Group. I'm working under Mr. Veil now."
"Mr. Veil?"
Joseph turned his eyes toward Veil. With one glance, he could tell—this young man was anything but ordinary.
A poised demeanor. An unmistakable presence.
He clearly came from a powerful family. And to be able to form such close ties with the Murphy sisters—his capabilities needed no further proof.
What Joseph hadn't expected was that even someone as brilliant in business as Jodie would choose to serve under him.
It seemed... he had seriously underestimated this young man.
Wait.
Something felt off.
Joseph had been so focused on convincing the sisters to return home, he suddenly realized he'd overlooked something critical.
Jodie's employer… and Sierra was calling him Veil?
"Wait a—my god! You're Veil Lancaster?!"
Even a seasoned businessman like Joseph, used to dealing with major players, couldn't help blurting out when realization hit—barely stopping himself from cursing out loud.
Veil offered a light smile and nodded. "Yes, the name's Veil. Mr. Joseph, you seem to know me?"
"I've heard of you," Joseph replied, resisting the urge to wipe the sweat from his forehead. He was a senior, after all—and showing fear just after learning Veil's identity would be humiliating. He held it in and simply nodded.
In Veyport City, Joseph was undeniably a heavyweight. His family business rivaled Kosdy's in every respect.
It was just that recent setbacks had left his company desperate for funding. If they couldn't get a cash injection soon, they'd have to start selling off shares.
He'd never met Veil in person, nor even seen his photo.
But who could blame him? With Veil's background, who would dare casually take his photo and spread it around online? Anyone foolish enough to try would probably be silenced before they even hit "upload."
And worse would likely follow.
Still, through conversations with friends and business partners, Joseph had caught wind of a powerful figure from Luxhaven City recently arriving in Veyport.
He just hadn't expected—that figure would be Veil himself.
"Uncle Joseph," Jodie said, her tone firm and final, "you may not understand everything that's happened in the Murphy family. Some things, once missed, are missed for good. The Murphy enterprise might look grand, but in my eyes, it's not worth going back to. The way Kosdy treated us sisters—forget revenge, but we will never again be at his beck and call. If you've come as a mediator on his behalf, I'm afraid I have to turn you down."
Her words left nothing more to say.
What Kosdy had done to them—Jodie knew—would sound monstrous to any outsider.
She suspected Joseph hadn't been told the whole truth. Otherwise, there was no way he'd willingly come all this way just to play messenger.
Maybe… maybe Kosdy didn't even intend to loan the money in the first place. Maybe he just needed an excuse to get rid of Joseph.
"Jodie, is there really no chance at all?" Sierra finally spoke, having been quietly listening the entire time. Her voice held a rare trace of pleading. "I've never asked you for anything before. Can you let me be selfish this once? Please… help us."
She bit her lip, lowering her head slightly.
"I've tried to stop Dad from being so stubborn, but this… this is the only way he knows. If something happens to the company, he'll break. I just—can't bear to see that."
She knew she was being unfair. But these past weeks, watching her father grow paler and more withdrawn each day, worry had carved itself into her bones.
She'd lost her mother young. Her father had raised her alone.
As a daughter… how could she put her pride above her father's well-being?
Even knowing the hurt in Jodie's eyes, she had to try—like a moth to a flame.
Jodie turned to Veil.
There was an unspoken understanding between them now, one that needed no words. Especially in a moment like this—there were implied conditions already in place.
She wanted to help, yes—but without relying on the Murphy family's power. And for that, she needed Veil's thoughts.
Everyone—Joseph, Sierra, even Julia—turned their eyes to Veil.
"Why is everyone looking at me?" Veil raised his hands in mock surrender. "This doesn't have anything to do with me, does it?"
He sighed.
"I've heard some things about Davenport Group's situation. The amount they need is… massive. Even if I wanted to help, I don't have that much liquid cash lying around. And even if we had the funds, it's still a high-risk investment. No one's going to dive in blind."
Even when buying a watermelon, you have to check if it's ripe before paying.
And if he was going to help Sierra, he had to ask—what exactly was she prepared to give in return?