" Max. "
Max was just about to step through the entrance with the girls when he heard his na called from behind, the voice familiar enough to make him pause, and Jennifer loosened her grip on his arm slightly, her posture shifting as she turned with him.
Max looked back and saw Danica standing a short distance away under the street light, smiling brightly and waving at him with easy confidence, dressed elegantly but not overly formal, as if she had just finished her own evening plans.
" Danica. "
Max nodded once in recognition, acknowledging her presence without surprise, then gestured calmly for the girls to go inside first, giving them a small reassuring look so they wouldn’t feel displaced, before he turned and walked toward Danica, his steps asured.
Danica, Blanka’s older sister — the one who had helped him on his very first day after moving from Regensburg to Munich — stood there with that sa approachable warmth he rembered, the mory of that early assistance flashing briefly in his mind, because first impressions in a new city were never forgotten.
" Max, thank you so much for the necklace you bought for us sisters. I thought after that we would see each other more often, but you sort of disappeared on us. "
Danica said it with warmth rather than accusation, her smile easy, eyes bright under the soft street lighting, clearly pleased to run into him like this instead of planning it, the kind of encounter that felt unforced.
" Ah... she didn’t tell you? "
Max answered with a small, restrained smile, a trace of guilt surfacing only because he knew how things unfolded, not because he regretted being honest, he had told Blanka clearly about the won in his life, about the way he chose to live, and she hadn’t accepted it, which he respected even if it created distance.
I don’t know how I explain? or Do I even explain?
He thought briefly, weighing whether reopening sothing through her sister made sense, because Danica was not involved in what happened, and dragging her into it would only create unnecessary tension.
" She didn’t tell what? "
Danica tilted her head slightly, still smiling, curiosity gentle rather than sharp, her posture relaxed in her casual party gown, the look suggesting she had been sowhere lighthearted earlier, maybe a girls’ evening, and now stood here enjoying an unexpected reunion.
" We ended on the wrong terms... I guess you can say that. She hates my guts and won’t even look at . When we t at her university, she just turned and walked the other way. "
Max said it calmly, not bitter, not defensive, just factual, because when he went to TUM looking for Saoirse and their paths crossed, Blanka had recognized him instantly even from far away, and instead of confrontation or words, she chose silence, which in so ways was louder, and Max understood that sotis people didn’t hate you for lying — they hated you for being honest in a way they couldn’t accept.
Danica was instantly surprised, the smile on her face fading for a mont as a puzzled look appeared in her eyes, because Blanka had genuinely liked Max before, that much was obvious even to her as a sister, so hearing that things had ended this badly felt unexpected, almost inconsistent with what she rembered.
" You are going ho? "
Max asked, noticing the direction her thoughts were about to take, because if she started asking more questions about Blanka the conversation would turn uncomfortable quickly, and tonight wasn’t the ti for that kind of discussion.
" Nope. Had a blind date... and got stood up. "
Danica said it casually, though the small pause in the middle betrayed a little embarrassnt, her shoulders lifting slightly as if she had already accepted the situation and moved past it.
" You an soone stood you up? You’re very pretty though. "
Max smiled when he said it, but the surprise on his face was genuine, because Danica was strikingly beautiful in a natural way, the kind that made people look twice without trying too hard, and the idea that soone would not even show up for a date with her felt ridiculous.
" Yeah... well, that’s how my love life has been. "
Danica shrugged her shoulders with a resigned expression, like soone who had repeated the sa story enough tis that it no longer bothered her outwardly, even if there was still a little disappointnt underneath.
Max was about to say sothing in response when his eyes caught movent further down the road, and with his enhanced vision the scene beca clear instantly — a black luxury sedan turning onto the street, followed closely by a marked police escort vehicle.
Even from a distance the car carried authority. It was a 2024 rcedes-Benz S-Class Guard, the long-wheelbase armored version used by high-ranking officials, the body finished in deep obsidian black that absorbed the street lights instead of reflecting them sharply. The sedan moved with heavy confidence, the extended wheelbase giving it an imposing presence, the thick reinforced doors and discreet armored glass barely noticeable unless soone knew what to look for.
Chro accents traced the edges of the grille and window fras, the signature rcedes three-pointed star standing proudly at the front above the massive grille, while the LED headlamps cut through the evening with precise white beams. The car was nearly silent despite its power, gliding forward smoothly as the police vehicle behind maintained respectful distance, the kind of convoy that imdiately signaled soone important was inside.
" Hey! Why don’t you join us for dinner? Jennifer wanted to talk with you after the last dinner we had in Les Deux, she ntioned you several tis. "
Max said it with a casual smile, the invitation sounding light rather than formal, because his main intention was to step aside and receive Linn and his wife properly when they arrived, and inviting Danica inside felt like an easy way to avoid leaving her standing alone outside. In his mind, she would politely decline anyway.
" Sure. I missed your girls too. How is Machina? "
Danica answered imdiately, the smile on her face carrying a playful edge, the tone making it clear she knew exactly what she was doing — teasing him while accepting the invitation at the sa ti.
" Well, then go inside and wait with the girls. "
Max blinked once, slightly surprised at how easily she agreed, but the smile returned just as quickly, especially after hearing the phrase your girls co from her so naturally, because it ant she had already figured out his situation without needing a long explanation. Danica wasn’t naive — she understood the dynamic, and instead of judging it, she seed amused by it.
Max gestured toward the entrance of Dallmayr, signaling her to go ahead inside where Jennifer, Machina, and Josefina were waiting, while he remained outside for a mont longer, his attention shifting back toward the approaching black rcedes and the police escort that had now slowed near the curb, the arrival he had been expecting finally about to happen.
Danica gave him one last playful smile before turning toward the entrance of Dallmayr, the glass doors opening smoothly as a host welcod her inside, her posture light and confident as she walked in to join the girls, clearly amused by the unexpected dinner invitation, while Max remained outside on the pavent.
The black sedan slowly ca to a stop near the curb, the escort police car halting behind it, the street montarily quiet as the presence of authority settled over the area, and Max straightened slightly, adjusting the cuff of his suit before stepping forward.
The rear door of the rcedes opened first, and Linn Müller stepped out. He looked as composed as always, dressed in a dark navy suit that fit his broad fra well, his posture confident but approachable, the expression of a man who had spent years negotiating business and people alike. His eyes quickly found Max, and a faint smile appeared, acknowledging both familiarity and respect.
Then the other rear door opened, Aaron Müller stepped out with controlled grace, the kind of presence that imdiately made it clear she was used to public attention. She wore a tailored dark coat over an elegant evening outfit, her posture upright and deliberate, her gaze sharp but not unfriendly. As Munich’s Deputy Mayor, she carried herself with the awareness that every movent in public mattered.
Her eyes briefly scanned the surroundings, the police escort, the street, the restaurant entrance, then finally settled on Max, studying him with quiet curiosity, the way experienced officials instinctively evaluated people before speaking.
Max stepped forward imdiately, his attention sharp as the sedan stopped in front of the pavent, and with a faint smile he looked around briefly, searching for Finn, but seeing him nowhere nearby he simply shook his head once and focused on the people who mattered at the mont.
" Mr. Müller. "
He extended his hand toward Linn first, the gesture smooth and respectful, because although he usually addressed him casually as Linn, tonight was different, and in front of his wife the formality was natural, the handshake firm and composed before Max released it and turned slightly.
" Mrs. Müller, it’s an honor. Thank you for coming tonight, on such short notice. "
Max said politely, nodding his head toward Aaron Müller, acknowledging not only her presence but also the weight of her position, his tone calm and asured.
" You are welco. "
Aaron Müller returned the nod, her expression softening slightly as she observed him more carefully now that they were face to face, the brief evaluation of soone accustod to reading people quickly, because during the drive here Linn had already told her quite a bit about this young man — his connection with Finn, his unusual maturity, and the situation that led to tonight’s dinner.
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