That evening, Mila, dressed in a sultry gown, arrived at Blackstar Corporation. Regulus Black greeted her at the entrance and led her inside.
"Uh... I didn't know Sarah and Naomi would be here too."
The moment she stepped in, Mila was surprised to find Naomi preparing dinner, while Sarah was already seated beside Regulus Black, looking ready for the meal to start. This was nothing like the romantic candlelit dinner for two she had imagined.
"Please, have a seat! Tonight, we'll get to try Naomi's cooking. Believe me, she's pretty skilled—almost at a professional level."
Regulus Black pulled out a chair for Mila, who still looked a bit dazed and unsure.
"Are you... a family?"
Milla Jovovich looked at Regulus, Naomi, and Sarah, thinking she had figured out the truth: that the on-screen family was also a real family off-screen. Otherwise, this whole scene would be far too strange.
"Actually, we are part of the same clan."
Sarah Maedani chimed in forcefully. What the golden-eyed loli said wasn't technically wrong, but she didn't know that earlier, Mila had told Kate a lie involving a vampire script. Her words now clearly made Mila think of a vampire family.
This was unbelievable. The Black family? A vampire clan? Mila Jovovich felt like her mind couldn't keep up.
She immediately turned her head to look around. Maybe this was some kind of hidden camera show, and she was the unwitting target of a prank.
"Mila! What are you looking for?"
Sarah Maedani mimicked Mila, also glancing around curiously—just a child imitating what she saw.
Regulus Black had already guessed what Mila was doing. He found the whole thing far too amusing to interrupt. Maybe she'd even say something insightful.
"I mean... are you really a family?"
Mila Jovovich directed the question to the so-called vampires in the room. She figured that as a professional actress, if she had uncovered a hidden-camera setup, she should play along. That was the mark of a true professional.
Regulus Black didn't give a direct answer. He simply picked up his wine glass with a mysterious smile.
Seeing his attitude, Sarah Maedani realized he was enjoying the show.
"Of course, we're members of the same family. I joined the Black clan earlier this year, and Naomi joined not too long ago. The person who invited you today was Regulus Black, and I think you understand what that means—it's an invitation to join the Black family."
Sarah carefully avoided mentioning anything else. She knew nothing about vampires, but based on Mila's reaction to the word "family," she followed that line of conversation.
This was just too entertaining. Regulus Black had to swallow his wine quickly, or he might have burst out laughing.
Mila Jovovich believed everyone here was a vampire, while Sarah Maedani was simply stating the existence of the Black clan as fact. The same words, interpreted differently by different people, ended up perfectly overlapping with the plot of the movie they were filming. Could the script have somehow influenced reality?
"If—just hypothetically—I didn't want to join the Black family, what would happen? I'm just asking in advance."
Mila mustered her courage and asked in a pleading tone.
"Let me think. It's rare for anyone to refuse Regulus's invitation. Joining the Black family comes with unimaginable benefits. As for your 'if'..."
Sarah Maedani glanced at Regulus Black and received a confirming nod.
"Then that's really unfortunate. We'd have no choice but to erase your memory and let you go."
She delivered the line with a straight face, which almost made Regulus Black, who was waiting for the punchline, burst out laughing.
What Sarah said wasn't technically wrong—she was speaking from a wizard's perspective. Even though she was a Squib, her brooch carried enchanted spells, including one called Obliviate.
And even if she couldn't cast the spell herself, wasn't Regulus Black right there?
For a real wizard, using Obliviate to erase a Muggle's memory was routine.
But from Mila Jovovich's perspective, those exact same words sounded like vampire magic.
If she agreed to join the Black family, she would definitely be bitten, go through some kind of ritual, and finally become a newborn vampire—officially taking on the name of the Black clan.
If she refused, it seemed there was no need to fear for her life either. They would simply erase her memory and let her go—a condition she could accept. After all, no one said that declining to join the Black family would result in being served as dinner. That already made them very reasonable vampires.
"I don't know what to choose. If my memory is erased, I'll forget about all of you, right? Even Regulus—I'll forget him too."
As Milla Jovovich spoke, she couldn't help but burst into tears.
She had already been subtly influenced by Regulus Black for quite some time. His presence had long since etched itself deep into her mind. If she forgot, a significant part of her life's memories would be missing. If they met again, they would be nothing more than strangers.
"But… but to become… a vampire… I… I just can't accept becoming… a vampire."
Still crying, Milla Jovovich choked out her refusal.
Regulus Black had been prepared for such a reaction, but seeing her cry like that, he couldn't help but feel a twinge of pain.
After all, in the West, many people still adhered to Christian faiths. Milla Jovovich was born in Ukraine, a region under the influence of Eastern Orthodoxy, which also worships God.
So, for a devout believer, becoming a vampire really was an incredibly difficult choice.
However, in Milla Jovovich's expression, Regulus Black noticed something just slightly off.
This little act—she was faking it!
"Nice performance, Milla. I'm sure you'll do just fine playing that extra in your upcoming shoot."
Regulus Black clapped his hands as he commented.
Sure enough, the moment he said that, Milla Jovovich immediately stopped crying. She reached for the napkin on the table, wiped away her tears, then pulled out her makeup kit from her purse and touched up her face. Every movement was smooth and practiced, as if she'd rehearsed it countless times.
Now it was Sarah Maedani and Naomi Watts' turn to be stunned.
They had both thought Milla had misunderstood something and that was why she was crying. Who would've guessed it was all just acting?
Realizing they were actors too, both the older and younger women felt an overwhelming urge to roll their eyes.
How are actors even supposed to communicate anymore? Is there any sincerity left?
"What kind of show is this supposed to be?"
Milla Jovovich finished fixing her makeup but saw no sign of the director or cameraman who should've jumped out by now if this were a hidden-camera shoot.
"This isn't some secret filming project, Milla. I really did invite you to dinner."
Regulus Black spoke frankly, but from the look on Milla's face, she clearly didn't believe him.
"This isn't a candlelit dinner for two, and it's not some midnight prank show. You did invite me to dinner—and… invited me to join the Black family."
The first three statements were Milla Jovovich's calm recap after organizing her thoughts. The final one was a sarcastic remark full of disbelief.
"You're right on all four counts. If you refuse, I won't force you. After dinner, I'll erase your memory."
Regulus Black answered seriously, which left Milla unsure about her earlier suspicions.
What part of this was the truth, and what part was a lie?
"Let's not dwell on it for now. Dinner was prepared entirely by Naomi—she put a lot of effort into it. We shouldn't let it go to waste."
Regulus Black poured red wine for Milla and Naomi, who was bringing out the dishes, then filled Sarah's glass with juice, which made the golden-eyed girl visibly unhappy.
Why wasn't it grape juice? If the color matched, she might've been able to sneak a sip of wine.
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