The Next Morning
As soon as Veil left the hotel, Sofia rushed into the double room in a hurry, eager to check on the situation.
Last night, she'd ended up falling asleep while eavesdropping, never hearing a single sound.
Damn those renovation workers—why the hell did they make the soundproofing so good?!
Because of that, she had no choice but to come and confirm things in person.
But the moment she stepped inside, Sofia froze.
She quickly shut the door behind her and stumbled toward her daughter, grabbing Daisy's hand, her face full of guilt and heartbreak.
"Daisy… this is all my fault! I shouldn't have pushed you! I'm the one to blame!"
Yes—Daisy had indeed been aiming to latch onto the powerful Lancaster family.
Her actions last night, like deliberately sending herself into Veil's room, had all been subtle, manipulative gestures to pressure her daughter into going in.
But no matter what, Daisy was still her precious child.
What mother doesn't ache when her daughter gets hurt?
Now, seeing her beloved girl in such a state, Sofia couldn't hold back the tears that welled in her eyes.
They fell one after another, soaking Daisy's arm.
Maybe it was the bond of blood, or maybe the warmth of a mother's touch, but Daisy slowly stirred from her daze. She opened her lips slightly and murmured,
"Mom… I want some water…"
Sofia scrambled to pour a glass. But just as she was about to hand it to Daisy, her hand trembled and the glass fell, shattering on the floor.
Panicking, she called the front desk, asking them to bring up a bottle of mineral water.
Gulp, gulp, gulp…
Daisy drank greedily, as if her petite body held an endless thirst. She finished the entire bottle in one go.
Sofia's heart twisted in agony. She held her daughter's delicate hand and choked out,
"Daisy… I've failed as a mother. I had no idea Veil was that kind of heartless bastard!
If I'd known he'd treat you like this, I would've rather died than send you in there!"
Grief.
Regret.
Heartache.
A storm of emotions swelled inside Sofia's chest. Just seeing her daughter so weak and worn sent a stabbing pain straight through her.
She had thought Veil was probably just like most men, at worst a bit cold or selfish.
Who could've guessed the gap between people could be so enormous?
"No… No way I'm letting that little bastard off the hook! I'm going to teach him a lesson myself!" she shouted furiously.
Seeing her daughter in this condition lit a fire in Sofia's chest.
Yes, she had failed in her role as a mother—but she could at least make it right by standing up for her child.
And as for Veil, if she didn't demand justice from him, how could she ever live this down?
But just as she was about to storm out and give Veil a piece of her mind, a soft hand tugged on her arm.
Daisy looked up with misty eyes, her voice full of grievance,
"Mom, you're not allowed to bully Veil…"
…What?
Sofia turned, staring in disbelief at her daughter's worried expression—worried not for herself, but for him.
She gently touched Daisy's forehead. "Sweetie… are you confused? Did Veil threaten you or something?"
It was the only explanation she could think of.
Why else would Daisy defend him like this?
But Daisy puffed up her cheeks, pouting in frustration.
"Mom! What are you even talking about?
Veil didn't threaten me—he took care of me!
Ugh, just stay out of it, okay? Let it go already!
I need some rest. I didn't sleep a wink last night!"
With that, she shoved Sofia lightly toward the door, clearly irritated.
Sofia's lips twitched wildly. Looking at her daughter now, she felt something wasn't right.
Could it be…?
No way…
A terrifying thought flashed through Sofia's mind, and her whole body tensed.
This was bad.
So bad.
From the looks of it, not only was Daisy not upset with Veil, but she'd actually grown attached to him?
Sofia's mind went blank. She could hardly comprehend what she was seeing.
She hesitated, then asked tentatively,
"Daisy… you don't actually think Veil's a good guy, do you?"
"Ugh, Mom! Can you stop already? Wasn't it you who told me to go in there last night?
Why are you complaining now?"
Daisy looked at her with annoyance, clearly fed up.
Couldn't her mother see what kind of state she was in?
Was a little peace and quiet too much to ask for?
"…Fine. I'll go," Sofia said, forcing a bitter smile.
She looked back at her daughter with every step she took, then finally shut the door behind her.
The moment it clicked shut, she collapsed against the hallway wall, utterly drained, her heart sinking into despair.
Inside, she cursed herself a thousand times over.
Back in the room, Daisy mumbled sleepily to herself.
"Wonder when I'll get to see Veil again…"
"And what am I supposed to say to Lisa next time we meet…?"
The room slowly fell silent.
Daisy hugged a pillow close, shifting slightly as she curled up under the blanket, still faintly warm with his scent.
Breathing in that lingering warmth, she closed her eyes.
A soft smile tugged at her lips as sleep overtook her, peaceful and content.
Ding! Congratulations, Host, for successfully claiming the female lead Daisy! Villain Points +50,000 + (1,000 × 5)!
Back at the villa, Veil collapsed onto his bed and activated the system's notification.
The pleasant chime of villain points flowing into his account was like music to his ears, washing away every last trace of exhaustion.
"I still have no idea where that woman Sofia got her hands on that stuff… If I could get it wholesale…"
Cough cough…
Veil's thoughts drifted to Kai and the other bodyguards. Those guys had been frequenting clubs a little too often lately. Their stamina probably wasn't what it used to be.
As their boss, it was only natural for him to consider their well-being, right?
Yeah… He'd definitely need to find a chance to subtly probe Daisy for the recipe. Extract that 'miracle formula' from Sofia somehow.
After all, Veil had a lot of friends.
And there'd probably be no shortage of people who'd appreciate something like that.
As for the fact he'd been drugged? He hadn't even taken it seriously. Sure, Sofia was cunning, but her eyes always gave her away when she was up to no good.
Like that pot of tea she brought last night—she wouldn't stop staring at it. If there wasn't something wrong with it, he'd eat his own shoes.
Originally, he'd planned to let Daisy take a sip first, but who would've thought that the legal loli would pass out the moment she touched the bed?
So, reluctantly, he had to step up and lead by example.
Didn't feel half bad, either.
"All right, come out. Stop hiding already," he said with a yawn, annoyance creeping into his tone.
From the moment he stepped into the room, he'd sensed someone's presence. Now that he'd settled his gains, there was no reason to pretend anymore.
Creak…
The wardrobe door creaked open from the inside.
Blood Mandala stepped out, face cold and unreadable. Without wasting a breath, she got straight to the point.
"Caden Voss. It's confirmed. The Soul-Suppressing Formation tied to that well—it's a lost technique. Barely anyone knows it exists. But when my sister asked him about it, he answered instantly."
She paused, eyes sharp. "Even if he was young at the time, his master had to be involved. There's no other explanation."
The blood feud that weighed on her soul had never once faded. Blood Mandala had lived every day under its shadow.
For years, both she and Harvey had tried to uncover the truth of what happened back then. But no matter how hard they searched, they always hit a wall.
Until Veil showed up—
And everything began to unravel.