"Still cursing?"
"You've got to be kidding!"
When Veil wrapped his arm around Lyra's shoulder, the relatives who had been badmouthing her earlier all broke out in cold sweat.
Shit!
Who would've thought that besides that dumb bodyguard, Lyra also had a connection with someone like Veil?
You can deal with a flirt, but a flirt with brains? That's terrifying.
No wonder she's a university professor—she even managed to charm a top-tier heir like Veil.
Now what?
Lyra's aunt glanced around and found several younger family members and her own sister and brother-in-law looking her way. Their eyes met awkwardly, large and small eyes blinking at each other.
The entire hall went dead silent.
"Didn't you hear the question? Who was the one cursing just now? Are you all deaf?!"
Veil's face turned cold. He wasn't giving anyone any leeway. He stared them down, not hiding the threat in his voice.
"Y-Young Master Veil, y-you must've misunderstood… we—we didn't say anything bad about Lyra!" Lyra's aunt forced a smile, her voice low and trembling.
Chills ran from her soles up to her spine, and Veil's voice had made her break into goosebumps. She scrambled to explain herself.
"Yes, yes, you must've heard wrong! Lyra's so outstanding—how could we insult her? We just misunderstood when she gave us that book earlier… the 'Taoist Morality Scripture.'"
"Exactly! Lyra's a university professor—refined and cultured. We're nothing compared to her. That book is practically divine scripture! Helps with character-building and inner peace. It was our ignorance—we didn't understand the deeper meaning."
"Yes, yes, we're just a bunch of uncultured folks who speak a little too loud. So sorry for the misunderstanding, Young Master Veil!"
Her uncle, aunt, and the other relatives scrambled to apologize, their faces plastered with fake smiles, desperately trying to move past the incident.
Inwardly, though, they were cursing Lyra a thousand times over.
This damn vixen—what a schemer!
She managed to hook up with a powerhouse like Veil and didn't even give them a hint. What, was she planning to let them jump headfirst into a pit?
From the looks of it, they'd never be able to target Lyra again. Oh well… she was still a Chandler. If she could really latch onto Veil's golden thigh, flattering her might not be such a bad deal.
Veil turned to look at Lyra's stunning face, his voice soft. "Is that true?"
Lyra, unaware of Veil's background, had always been at odds with the Chandler family and rarely got involved with them.
Still, from the looks of fear in her relatives' eyes, she could guess that Veil's background was nothing the Chandler family could mess with.
"You love stirring things up, don't you?" she said playfully, giving his waist a discreet pinch from behind.
That pinch was a family trademark—not something you had to learn.
They might've seemed affectionate, but the move was subtle enough that no one else noticed.
Except Caden Voss.
His sharp eyes didn't miss a thing. Even though Lyra tried to hide it well, he still caught that flirtatious little gesture, and it stung.
Earlier, those Chandler folks treated him like trash, holding their noses high. But in front of Veil? They were spineless ants, groveling at his feet.
Even Lyra was being played like a fiddle, tricked by Veil's polished act.
The way she treated Veil—tender and affectionate—was a far cry from the indifference she showed him. The double standard was too much to bear.
Caden's chest felt tight with resentment. He wanted nothing more than to prove himself—to pull Lyra out of Veil's grasp and back to her senses.
The gift-giving from the younger generation came to a close, and everyone returned to their seats.
Veil, of course, was seated at the very front, right next to Lyra.
Next came the highlight of the banquet—the announcement of gifts from major families and corporations in Veyport City.
The emcee read from the list in a booming voice.
"Symbol of fortune—one golden abacus, one hundred-year-old ginseng. Congratulations from the chairman of Darrenwoon Group!"
"One luxury yacht. Congratulations from the chairman of Davenport Group!"
"…!"
With each declaration, the Chandler family patriarch's face beamed with joy, his cheeks glowing red. But the excitement seemed to get the better of him—he coughed a few times, covering his mouth with his hand.
"Grandpa, are you okay?"
"Did your old illness flare up again? I'll go grab your medicine right away!"
Several juniors rushed forward, eager to show how much they cared.
"It's a joyous occasion! What medicine? Step aside—all of you! Can't you learn from Lyra? Look how calm and composed she is in the face of such an important event."
The Chandler family patriarch scolded them sharply, but at the same time, subtly elevated Lyra's position. He even turned toward Veil with a smile he thought was kind and welcoming.
Just as he was expecting a response from Veil, a figure stepped into his line of sight.
He frowned and looked up to see Caden Voss standing in front of him.
"What do you want?" he asked coldly.
"Old Mr. Oliver Chandler, you're sick."
The words dropped like a bomb—the entire hall fell silent.
To say something like that at a birthday banquet? The younger generation exploded in rage.
"The hell's wrong with you?! You're the one who's sick—your whole family's sick!"
"Get lost! Out! As far away as possible!"
"What, you don't speak human?! Scram already!"
Oliver Chandler raised his hand, gesturing for quiet. Once the crowd calmed, he said stiffly, "Young man, even if you're here representing Davenport Group, those words don't sit well on a happy day like this. I doubt Chairman Joseph can defend you for this."
Caden smiled, completely unfazed by the murderous glares from the Chandler family. "That's true. But tell me, haven't you been feeling tightness in your chest? Shortness of breath? And whenever you get a little excited… a sense of suffocation?"
Oliver Chandler's expression changed drastically. Before he could respond, Caden continued, "You see, besides being Joseph's bodyguard, I'm also his personal physician. He used to suffer from similar issues—residual injuries from his younger years."
He didn't mention specifics—Joseph's issues came from old injuries, but Oliver Chandler's were… well, from overindulgence in youth. No need to spell it out.
Veil had his status. Caden had his skills.
He didn't need a prestigious family name to gain Oliver Chandler's trust. All he had to do was establish a connection—and from there, get closer to Lyra. In time, exposing Veil would be a piece of cake.
"You… you're the miracle doctor Joseph mentioned?" Oliver's eyes lit up.
He'd spoken with Joseph before—Joseph once said his health had improved dramatically, thanks to a brilliant physician. Oliver had wanted to find that doctor, but Joseph had refused to reveal his identity.
Who knew the man was standing right in front of him?
Caden nodded, calm and composed. "I am."
"Quick! Prepare a seat for him!"
Oliver didn't dare delay. He immediately had Caden seated nearby.
Even those who had looked down on Caden just moments ago had no choice but to swallow their resentment. They might not offer him a smile, but they no longer dared to challenge him directly.
Still, most of their flattery remained directed at Veil.
Soon, the gift announcements ended.
And just like that, everyone's eyes turned to Veil.
No one could forget the arrival of the Lancaster heir.
The heir to the Luxhaven Lancaster family—the only future successor. And now, he was sitting so close to Lyra, clearly on intimate terms.
What kind of gift would someone like Veil bring?
Even Oliver Chandler turned his gaze to Veil with great interest.
Unlike the others, Lyra wore a look of curiosity. "You're not really here just for the birthday celebration, are you?"
"Don't tell me… you didn't even bring a gift?"
From the moment Veil shielded her and sat beside her, he had been acting distant—like something was weighing on his mind. She'd asked but got no answer.
Caden Voss chuckled. "No way, right? You're not seriously telling me that Young Master Veil showed up at this big banquet empty-handed?"
"Do you think your status is so lofty that just showing your face is gift enough?"
Watching Veil and Lyra interact so closely filled Caden with a growing gloom. Something inside him felt like it was missing—like a storm was brewing in his chest.
Unable to hold back, he snapped.
But Veil didn't even blink. He ignored Caden's words completely.
Instead, he looked at Lyra with a pained expression, then lowered his head and whispered, "Lyra, I'm sorry. I really didn't expect to see you here today. And maybe after this, you'll never want to talk to me again… maybe you'll even hate me."
"But there are some things I… have to do."
He took out his phone and sent a message.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
Minutes later, uniformed officials stormed into the Chandler estate.
Each one moved with precision, targeting specific individuals. In no time, several Chandler family members were restrained.
"What's going on? What are you doing?!"
"You can't just arrest people without a warrant! This is the Chandler residence!"
"I'm calling the police!"
Lyra's aunt screamed, others following suit in a chaotic uproar.
A stern-faced man at the front spoke coldly, "I am the police. You're under investigation for rape. You're coming with us."
"You're being arrested for illegal substance use!"
More charges followed.
These were undercover officers from Veyport City, led by a newly appointed deputy director. None of them were familiar faces—no chance for the Chandlers to use their usual tricks.
The guests were stunned. Eyes wide, jaws dropped.
Holy crap.
This… was Veil's gift?
Savage.
As the silver "bracelets" clicked into place, Chandler family members glared at Caden Voss with hatred blazing in their eyes.
They wanted to rip him apart.
This was his fault.
He just had to pick a fight with Veil.
Now look what happened. Veil's gift to the Chandlers… was a ticket straight to jail.
Caden felt utterly baffled.
Why the hell is everyone looking at me?!
Veil was the one who called them—not me!
And now they were blaming him?