Who is She?

The silence permeated inside the car as Alucard waited for her to state her reason for coming all the way here, ahead of time, as she was supposed to fetch him from the office.

Lin Ruoxi heaved a breath she had been holding and started.

"Thank you very much for everything you have done, Vlad." First and foremost.

"You really have no idea how grateful I am, you helped me achieve in two weeks what it would have taken me years! At some point, I even held a grudge at how much work I had… " She took his hands in her own and expressed her deep gratitude, no one had ever been so kind to her before, except for her caretaker and grandmother that is. It has always been a struggle in her life, a fight.

Her cold demeanour that kept everyone away didn't help either, but that ice barrier was something he phased through with such an ease that left her dumbfounded. It might have been because she was in a fragile state at that time. But regardless of the cause, she really needed what he did for her at that time and even now…

"It was nothing Ruoxi, it also helped me. If you ever need something just say the word." He caressed her hands and assured her; she had this thing on her that made him want to protect her, but at the same time, this aura and professionalism made her appear independent and strong.

"Vlad, I want to tell you something, but also ask something..." her heartbeat increased in rate as she held his hands tightly, not knowing if she should say this or not.

Alucard tilted his head at her wording, not understanding where she was coming from but that expression of his actually made her relax a bit.

"B-Before… I told you that I wanted to marry you…" she said with a stutter as Alucard frowned and hummed a nod, obviously remembering the infamous remark.

"I fled at that time because I thought… I thought that it was too soon, we only met once at that, even now it is just twice…w-what a difference…" the more she spoke the more nervous she got!

Alucard's silence wasn't helping either!

"I-I wanted it to be a fake marriage at first, but now. V-Vlad! I-" As her face blushed she was at the border of collapse, confessing the feelings she had for a man she met just twice… Hoping they would get married into a fake marriage that would eventually lead her life somewhere else… Somewhere more joyful!

But as she was about to finish, a pair of arms embraced her as her eyes widened and reciprocated the hug,

"Calm down, Ruoxi. I won't bite, yet…" he said with a smirk and caressed her silky long hair calming her down.

She breathed out a sigh and played with his hair too not forgetting to roll her eyes at his 'Dracula' remark, 'His capacity to make me relax is just ridiculous…'

Still, she felt the atmosphere around her turn cold for some reason as if her shoulders had an additional weight on her at this very instant.

…

'Calm down...'

Alcina could only grit her teeth and ignore the scene before her...

After a few minutes of caresses and silence, The Ice Queen had fully calmed down and spoke again.

"Do you have a girlfriend?" She needed to know or the question would eat her and prevent her from focusing on anything just like before.

…

"I do…" There was no point in lying, even if he didn't yet feel love for Catherine, that was no doubt their current relationship. And Alcina was swiftly heading the same way.

Truly a pair of stubborn Draculines.

'I'll go back to the office Master, enjoy your date, also… I'm awaiting my reward~' Alcina's voice resounded in his mind as she left, not wanting to witness her master flirting with someone else for another minute. But still, feeling a little better after he didn't hide their relationship, it seems her constant pushing had amounted to something!

Neither Lin Ruoxi nor anyone noticed how a tall woman came out of Alucard's shadow outside the car.

With a giggle, she flashed him a kiss and left back to Hermes' Brewings.

…

Lin Ruoxi's body shook and tears threatened to leave her eyes upon hearing his answer. If was a possibility, but she still hoped...

"Is it Tang Wan?" Her eyes almost contained fear, if it was Tang Wan then... Chances were minimal.

"No, it's not her. It's a complicated relationship, but a relationship nonetheless..." He shrugged and started the car, ready to go back to the office.

He didn't mind marrying Lin Ruoxi into a fake marriage on a starting point. Marriage held no significance to him, through his life there have been partners he had lived with for more than a century, including Seras. His relationship with her lasted three hundred years, yet they never got married.

It wasn't needed.

He could just tell Catherine as if it was the most normal thing in the world, it was just marriage... But he knew the stubborn Draculine wouldn't like it.

It might have been for the best that she mentioned this after Alcina left...

"Can I know who she is?" She sighed in relief when she saw it wasn't Tang Wan, which meant the woman was not ahead of her by a lot...

"You wouldn't believe me even if I tell you..."

"Give me your best shot?" She said with a mock smile, who could it possibly be?

Alucard remained silent for a while increasing her frustration and drove off to the office.

"It's the famous American actress Claudette Cesare." He hunched and shrugged his shoulders like he just mentioned the name of a McDonald's receptionist.

...

Lin Ruoxi's only response was to give him a pointed glare, 'Stop joking and tell me who is it!'

But he also remained silent...

...

"It can't be, I don't believe you!" it wasn't possible! She's one of America's best actresses together with Christen Mayers!

Alucard smirked at her reaction, "For an Ice Queen you really behave like a little girl. It is indeed not her, but if this surprised you, then I might as well not tell you her real name."

But he underestimated Lin Ruoxi's stubbornness!