The sun was beginning to dip low on the horizon, casting long, dramatic shadows across the pavement of the apartment complex. The early evening sky was painted in rich shades of violet and deep orange.
After everything that had happened yesterday—the emotional revelations, the arguments, and the promises made in the quiet of the apartment—Max was currently waiting outside the main lobby building. He was leaning casually against the sleek, dark hood of his Corvette, waiting patiently for Bellatrix to finally come downstairs.
Max raised his left arm, pulling back the cuff of his crisp white shirt to look at his expensive mechanical watch. It was already exactly 6:00 PM in the evening.
"Sigh," Max murmured to himself, tapping his polished leather shoes against the pavement. "She explicitly told me that I should wait outside in the parking lot because she really wants to surprise me with her new, highly anticipated dress that she bought online weeks ago."
Max was dressed to kill, though not in his usual, literal sense. He was currently wearing a pristine, high-end white dress shirt paired with a custom-tailored, dark violet waistcoat featuring elegant shawl lapels. He had tied a sophisticated dark violet ribbon around his collar in place of a traditional tie, giving him a distinct, aristocratic look. His matching, tailored tuxedo coat was currently hanging casually over his right shoulder. He looked like modern nobility.
He reached up with his free hand, meticulously adjusting the silver cufflinks on his sleeves. Finally, he brushed his fingers against the single, elegant dangle earring hanging from his right ear, which featured a flawless, heavy amber jewel that perfectly matched his own eyes.
Just as he finished adjusting his collar, the heavy glass doors of the main apartment lobby suddenly pushed open.
Max looked up. His amber eyes instantly widened to an impossible degree. His breath caught in his throat.
Walking out of the lobby, being carefully escorted down the front steps by her Aunt Irmela, was Bellatrix.
She was not wearing the simple, modern dresses he was used to seeing her in. She wore a breathtaking, incredibly complex Blonde Elegant Gothic Aristocrat style of dress. The fabric was a rich, heavy material, tailored perfectly to her figure. The dress featured long, bell-shaped sleeves and a high lace collar. Pinned delicately just below her waist was a highly decorative, intricate waist corsage, the fabric of the flower dyed in the exact same mesmerizing shade of gray as her beautiful eyes. Her blonde hair was styled flawlessly, cascading down her shoulders in elegant waves.
Max stood completely frozen against his car, his eyes still wide as he took in just how unearthly beautiful Bellatrix looked.
He was in deep, profound shock. He had known she was pretty, but he had absolutely not expected that she would wear such a rare, incredibly expensive, and highly stylized dress for their third and final date. The sheer impact of seeing her like this caused his brain to completely short-circuit. His usually pale face suddenly reddened dramatically, a visible blush spreading from his cheeks to the tips of his ears as he stood there staring at her.
Bellatrix, seeing his stunned silence and his bright red face, immediately blushed deeply as well. The sudden lack of his usual smooth confidence made her terribly self-conscious. She reached up with a gloved hand and nervously twirled a strand of her blonde hair around her finger.
"Umm… is there something wrong, Max?" Bellatrix asked, her voice trembling slightly with insecurity. "Does this specific style of dress not really suit me? Or… is it just too ugly and weird for a normal date?"
As he heard her hesitant, deeply insecure question, Max violently snapped out of his trance. He forcefully gathered his scattered composure and rapidly shook his head side to side.
"N—no! Absolutely not!" Max practically shouted, quickly stepping away from the car to close the distance between them. "Yo—you're so incredibly beautiful in that dress, Bell! I—I was just in total shock that you are actually wearing that specific, high-society style of dress. I genuinely thought you were just going to wear one of those normal, modern evening gowns since you said you wanted to surprise me."
He stopped a few feet away from her, letting his eyes roam over the intricate lace detailing one more time.
"Congratulations, you really, truly did surprise me," Max continued, his voice softening into absolute awe. "As in, wow. I—I was really in deep shock at how you managed to become even more beautiful tonight by putting on that dress."
"T—thank you so much for the compliment, Max," Bellatrix replied, her voice dropping into a shy whisper. She was still nervously twirling her hair, deeply flustered as she heard Max's rapid, highly sincere barrage of compliments.
She then let out a small, slightly embarrassed sigh.
"And, ahh! To be completely honest about the online dress that was supposedly scheduled to be delivered here today…" Bellatrix admitted, looking down at the pavement.
"My modern dress actually didn't arrive on time. It turns out that the delivery truck carrying my package got into a minor accident on the highway this afternoon. So, I completely panicked. I asked for some desperate help from Auntie, and she just went into her old storage trunks and gave me this vintage dress instead. Which, she said, was actually sewn completely by hand by my own grandma decades ago, specifically to be worn if I ever went on a highly important, formal date."
Max nodded his head slowly, deeply impressed by the craftsmanship.
"Well, you're very welcome for the compliment," Max replied smoothly. "And I guess I really gotta thank your grandmother from the bottom of my heart for making that specific dress. It's truly a beautiful masterpiece, exactly the same as its current owner."
Hearing that incredibly smooth, romantic line, Bellatrix immediately brought both of her gloved hands up to completely cover her face. Her cheeks had reddened so much that Max swore he could practically see cartoonish steam rising from the top of her blonde head.
Irmela, who had been standing quietly on the steps observing the entire chaotic interaction, suddenly burst into loud laughter.
"Hahahaha!" Irmela laughed freely, highly amused at the adorable sight of her usually brilliant, hyper-rational niece getting completely flustered and overwhelmed by Max's relentless barrage of smooth compliments. "I honestly never thought I would actually live to see the day where my own stubborn niece would be standing in a parking lot, desperately covering her face because of her handsome boyfriend's barrage of sweet talk."
"A—Auntie! Please stop!" Bellatrix practically screamed, her voice muffled behind her hands. She was dying of pure embarrassment from her aunt's loud commentary and Max's intense staring.
Irmela smiled warmly at Max, placing a hand on her hip.
"Seriously, Max. Stop harassing my poor niece," Irmela commanded playfully. "Don't make her life any harder tonight!"
Max laughed, a deep, rich sound, and easily fired back.
"Is that so, Lady Irmela?" Max replied with a confident smirk. "Then I am deeply glad that I am making her life harder tonight, simply by giving her the exact, truthful compliments that she is really, genuinely worthy of receiving when she takes the time to dress like that for me."
While Bellatrix was still hiding her burning face behind her hands, completely incapable of formulating a response, Irmela slowly walked down the remaining steps and approached Max.
She didn't smile. She leaned forward, closing the distance until she was speaking directly into his ear, ensuring her niece couldn't hear a single word.
"Thanks for not telling my problem to my niece, Max," Irmela whispered, her tone shifting into absolute, deadly seriousness. "I appreciate you keeping my secret."
Max simply nodded his head once, his expression remaining entirely neutral so as not to alert Bellatrix.
"No worries," Max replied quietly.
Irmela pulled back and patted his broad shoulder affectionately, returning to her cheerful, motherly persona in a fraction of a second.
"Good luck on your third and final date tonight, both of you!" Irmela announced loudly. "Have fun!"
"Thanks, Miss Irmela," Max replied respectfully.
'It seems Bellatrix really didn't tell her aunt about what I told her yesterday,' Max thought inwardly, analyzing the situation. 'Well, she wouldn't. Since she strictly promised me that she wouldn't talk about the supernatural stuff with her aunt until Irmela is finally ready to sit down and talk about her true identity as a witch and her family's hidden secrets on her own terms.'
Max then grabbed the lapels of his tailored tuxedo coat, swinging it off his shoulder and smoothly wearing it. He buttoned the single, central button, completing his highly aristocratic look.
He then walked purposefully toward Bellatrix, who was still stubbornly covering her flushed face with her hands. He stopped right in front of her, bowed slightly from the waist, and formally offered his hand to her.
"Shall we go, my lady?" Max asked, his voice adopting a flawless, highly polished aristocratic tone that perfectly matched her gothic dress.
Bellatrix slowly lowered her gloved hands, finally uncovering her face. She looked at his offered hand, a small, genuine smile breaking through her extreme shyness. She decided to play along with the fantasy.
"Le—let's go, your highness," Bellatrix replied softly.
The moment the words left her lips, she gasped. She immediately clamped her hands back over her mouth, her gray eyes widening in absolute horror as she realized she had actually blurted the embarrassing roleplay title out loud in front of her aunt.
Max threw his head back and laughed loudly, completely delighted by her slip-up.
"Hahahaha! I honestly didn't think my beautiful girlfriend secretly loved this highly specific Historical Date Roleplay so much!" Max teased her mercilessly.
Bellatrix just looked sideways, refusing to meet his teasing gaze, her cheeks still burning with a furious blush. She lowered her hands and muttered her defense.
"Yo—you actually look really good wearing your tailored tuxedo tonight," Bellatrix admitted shyly. "A—and your new earring... it looks really good too. It perfectly matches the same color as your beautiful amber eyes."
Max smiled warmly, deeply touched by her genuine observation. He hadn't expected her to notice the small detail of the jewel.
"Thank you very much, my lady," Max replied softly.
He then gently took her right hand in his. Instead of shaking it, he bowed his head and pressed a soft, lingering kiss to the back of her gloved knuckles as a highly formal sign of thanks for her sweet compliment.
He then firmly offered his arm to her. Bellatrix eagerly wrapped her hands around his strong bicep, holding onto him tightly.
Max then smoothly led her toward the passenger side of his black Corvette. As he opened the heavy door for her, Irmela stood on the front steps, cheerfully waving them off.
"Enjoy your date tonight, you two!" Irmela shouted at them, her voice echoing in the quiet lot.
The two of them smiled simultaneously, waving back at Irmela before getting into the low sports car.
As Max slid into the driver's seat and started the roaring V8 engine, Bellatrix leaned over the center console. She gently leaned her head against his broad shoulder, completely comfortable in his presence. Max smiled softly as she did it, shifting the car into gear and pulling out into the darkening city streets.
***
—VROOM!
The heavy Corvette rumbled to a smooth stop.
As Max parked the car and killed the engine, Bellatrix looked out her passenger window. She immediately widened her gray eyes as she saw the absolutely massive, incredibly luxurious building towering directly in front of her.
It was a sprawling, classical-style estate, illuminated by hundreds of bright golden spotlights. High-end luxury cars were lined up at the valet stand, and men in sharp tuxedos and women in glittering gowns were walking up the wide marble steps.
"Umm, Max?" Bellatrix asked, her voice tinged with sudden nervousness. "Why are we actually parked here tonight?"
Max unbuckled his seatbelt and turned to look at her, raising an eyebrow.
"Hmm? Do you actually not know what specific event is being held inside of this grand building right now?" Max asked smoothly. "I mean, this specific event is incredibly famous throughout our entire state. After all, this is the annual, highly exclusive charity gala specifically organized for ultra-rich people, and usually, only a certain, highly select group of people even know this event is happening today."
Bellatrix nodded her head rapidly, her confidence returning.
"Yeah, of course I know about it!" Bellatrix replied. "And also, did you suddenly forget that I am a massive redditor and a chronic forum lurker? I almost know the private information and social calendars of our whole state at this point."
She said it incredibly proudly, physically puffing out her chest to emphasize her impressive, albeit slightly creepy, internet research skills.
Max, seeing her ridiculous, proud posture, couldn't help but laugh out loud. He reached over the console and playfully pinched her soft cheek again.
"O—OWWW! OWWWWW!!!" Bellatrix screamed playfully, batting his hand away.
Max kept his fingers lightly pinched on her cheek for a second longer, continuing to laugh genuinely at her highly expressive, dramatic reactions.
"Ohh, dear Bell," Max said warmly, finally letting go of her cheek. "You really have become the absolute cure for my profound boredom, and my highly repetitive, incredibly lonely life."
Bellatrix rubbed her cheek, a highly satisfied smirk appearing on her face.
"Really?" Bellatrix boasted, tilting her chin up. "Then you should definitely thank me more often, and praise me more constantly!"
Max nodded his head obediently, continuing to shower her with light praises and compliments as he helped her out of the low car.
They walked arm-in-arm up the grand marble staircase, joining the flow of the wealthy elite heading toward the main entrance.
After they stepped inside the massive, gilded foyer, they were immediately approached by a stern-looking event staff member holding an electronic tablet.
"Good evening, Sir, Ma'am," the staff member said formally, barring their path. "Can you please tell me your registered names, and hand me your physical invitation card to verify your entry?"
Max didn't flinch. He calmly reached into the inner pocket of his tuxedo coat and pulled out two sleek, heavy black metal cards. Etched cleanly into the center of each card was the word "VIP" in bright gold lettering. He handed them to the staff member.
"Max Theo Hoffman, and Bellatrix Laurentina Ahlgrymm," Max stated smoothly, projecting total authority.
The staff member swiped the cards against his tablet. The screen flashed bright green. The man's stern expression vanished instantly, replaced by a look of sheer, panicked respect.
"Ohh! S—Sir Hoffman! My profound apologies for the delay," the staff member stammered, quickly handing the heavy metal cards back. "We have been highly expecting your arrival tonight. Please, come right inside, Sir, and you too, Ma'am."
The staff member quickly turned and physically pulled open the heavy velvet curtains, bowing deeply as he led them past the main security checkpoint and directly inside the grand ballroom of the gala.
Max simply thanked the man with a dismissive nod as they walked past.
Meanwhile, Bellatrix was walking in deep, overwhelming awe. Her gray eyes darted everywhere as she took in the absolutely breathtaking, opulent designs of the massive gala hall. Giant crystal chandeliers hung from the painted ceilings, and a live orchestra was playing classical music in the corner. She looked at the crowds of people, admiring the incredibly expensive, custom-tailored clothing everyone was wearing.
However, as they walked further into the room, she suddenly felt the heavy, judgmental stares of the people around them. She could clearly hear the sharp, quiet whispering of the elite socialites as they pointed at her unique, highly archaic gothic dress, which stood out drastically among the modern, sleek evening gowns.
Max, possessing highly tuned assassin senses, instantly sensed that something was deeply wrong with his girlfriend's posture. He felt her grip tighten nervously on his arm. He immediately placed his warm hand firmly over her shoulder, pulling her slightly closer to his side to ground her.
"You really should just ignore them, Bell," Max whispered gently into her ear. "Most snobby people like this are exactly the same everywhere you go. I mean, if you actually read those Historical Rofan Manhwas you love so much, you could easily mirror the behavior of these people to those arrogant, petty noble aristocrats in the stories. So, just completely ignore their rude stares and their petty whispers, alright?"
Bellatrix looked up at him, the anxiety melting away under his calm, protective gaze. She nodded her head firmly.
"Okay. Thank you, Max, for reassuring me," Bellatrix whispered back, holding her head a little higher.
Max then turned his head. He didn't say a word. He simply locked his glowing amber eyes onto the specific group of people who had been openly staring and whispering about Bellatrix. He let the mask of the polite aristocrat slip for a fraction of a second, intentionally releasing a microscopic fraction of the dark, suffocating killing intent he had cultivated as the Reaper.
The people who were staring at Bellatrix suddenly felt a massive, freezing chill run straight down their spines. They violently flinched, immediately looking sideways and aggressively pretending to be fascinated by the wallpaper, absolutely terrified by the sudden, overwhelming aura of death radiating from the handsome man in the violet waistcoat.
With the annoying whispers silenced, Max and Bellatrix resumed walking peacefully toward their designated, highly exclusive VIP seating area near the front stage.
As they walked, Bellatrix couldn't contain her burning curiosity any longer. She tugged lightly on his arm.
"Hey, Max."
"Hmm?"
"I actually have a major question about all of this."
"Shoot," Max replied casually.
"How can we actually just casually attend this ultra-exclusive Gala Event tonight? And worse, how are you casually holding a highly restricted VIP card for it?" Bellatrix asked, her brow furrowed in deep confusion. "Did you illegally use your dark web connections to forge these?"
Max let out a low chuckle, a highly confident smirk appearing on his face.
"You are seriously underestimating my actual background way too much, Bell," Max replied smoothly as they approached their table. "Me having vast, highly illegal connections to violent criminals and the dark underworld doesn't automatically mean I need to use that bloody privilege just to join a simple charity Gala like this."
He pulled her chair out for her, leaning down as she sat.
"To be completely honest with you tonight, my parents are actually incredibly rich, Bell," Max revealed quietly. "Did you somehow forget the lore I told you? My father is a half-vampire. And not just any vampire, a Royal Blood one. He lived for a very long time and amassed a massive fortune. So, it should make a lot more logical sense to you now that I can easily get invited to this specific, high-society Gala as a top-tier VIP based purely on my family's old money."
He sat down in the chair next to her, resting his arm on the back of her seat.
"And also, my late Mom was actually a very close, personal friend of the billionaire owner who organizes this Gala every year. She's technically the one who officially sent the VIP invite to my estate, hoping I would finally attend, so—"
Max paused his explanation. He reached over, gently picked up her left hand, and pressed a soft, highly romantic kiss to the back of her glove right in front of the entire room.
"You should not worry about the logistics at all, alright? Just relax your mind, eat the expensive food, and highly enjoy this fancy event tonight," Max commanded gently. "Because after this dinner is over, I will personally take you out and show you something significantly cooler than this boring Gala event."
Bellatrix was completely taken aback by his casual dismissal of the night. "Boring Gala Event?" she repeated quietly.
Since she had never attended one, this event wasn't somehow boring for her at all. It was magical. And worse, she knew for a fact that this specific event was strictly reserved for actual Billionaires and high-ranking politicians.
'Just how insanely rich is Max's family, then?' Bellatrix wondered inwardly, her mind reeling at the implications. 'I mean, my family is considered really rich too, since my dad owns a massive chemical manufacturing company back in Germany, and we even own a large, historic mansion there. Me being the literal daughter of a billionaire is a fact, but I still don't get to experience this much high-society gala stuff since I don't ever bother to join them. But, as my mom and my other socialite siblings have said to me before, Gala events are definitely not boring! Rather, it's a highly enjoyable experience since you can easily make powerful friends and massive business connections, but—'
She looked at Max's unimpressed face as he scanned the room.
'Sigh. Maybe he genuinely finds it utterly boring simply because he fundamentally hates how fake and extravagant this entire event is compared to the harsh reality he lived in.' Bellatrix concluded inwardly.
Bellatrix then slowly nodded her head, accepting his perspective.
"Sure, Max. And honestly, thanks again for protecting me from those judgmental bastards earlier," Bellatrix said, smiling warmly at him.
"You're always welcome," Max replied, returning her smile.
Just as they were finally starting to settle into their seats and look at the menu, a loud, booming voice called out from behind them.
"Lauren?!"
Bellatrix violently widened her gray eyes as she heard her real name yelled across the VIP section. She recognized that specific, commanding tone instantly.
"Da—Dad?!" Bellatrix gasped in sheer, unadulterated shock, rapidly spinning around in her chair.
Max tilted his head, his assassin instincts instantly analyzing the new threat standing behind them. He looked at Bellatrix's panicked face and asked her calmly.
"He's your dad?"
The man standing directly in front of their table was an incredibly tall, highly imposing figure. He wore a custom-tailored, immaculate black tuxedo that radiated wealth and power. He had sharp, perfectly styled blonde hair, the exact same golden color as his daughter Bellatrix, but his most striking feature was his intense, glowing magenta eyes.
He was none other than Otto Octavius Ahlgrymm, the billionaire patriarch.
"Lauren, what in the world are you doing here tonight?!" Otto demanded, his magenta eyes narrowing suspiciously. "And also, who the hell is this strange man sitting with you?!"
Bellatrix looked back at Max, completely panicked, and then looked back at her intimidating dad.
"Uhh… Dad, please, I can easily explain everything!" Bellatrix stammered, holding her hands up defensively.
Max didn't hesitate. He wasn't going to let her face her angry father alone. He smoothly stood up from his chair. He took a confident step forward and protectively wrapped his strong arm around Bellatrix from behind, pulling her back flush against his chest.
"Max?!" Bellatrix squeaked, widening her gray eyes in absolute shock at her boyfriend's sudden, incredibly bold move in front of her father.
Max stood tall, meeting the billionaire's furious magenta glare with his own cold, unyielding amber eyes. He offered a sharp, perfectly polite smile.
"Hello there, Father-In-Law. I'm Max Theo Hoffman," Max introduced himself, his voice projecting total, unshakable confidence across the quiet VIP section.
"I'm your daughter's boyfriend."