NewEraCulture

A high-society romance where pretense turned into reality.
 
Van, the heir to a top-tier fortune and a regular on the front page of the Wall Street Journal, had been mocked for being perpetually single, with even rumors swirling about his "dysfunction."
 
Winnie, a Hollywood superstar desperate to escape her constant barrage of scandals, encountered this billionaire worth tens of billions. To her surprise, Van presented her with an unexpected proposal:
 
"Pretend to date me for a year. You won't have to do anything else. I'll pay you $100 million after taxes."
 
She planned to laugh it off but couldn't ignore the man's chiseled features—the way his shadowed face was lit up as he casually raised an eyebrow and lit a cigarette in the glow of firelight, his voice steady and laced with danger.
 
She remembered their first meeting in a torrential downpour—the man reclining in a silver Maybach, eyes half-closed, exuding charm yet utterly unattainable. She also remembered later, when everyone had believed him to be unshakable and untouchable, he had appeared alone, worn and weary, at her remote desert film set, quietly asking:
 
"Do you really have to shoot this kiss scene?"
 
Behind this contract lay something far deeper than money—a fixation, a love that had turned real, or perhaps an irresistible force neither of them had recognized.
 
$100 million had set the stage for a high-stakes battle of love and hate that would ultimately unravel.

A Love Confession from Las Vegas

Just then, the wind blew so forcefully that Winnie didn't have time to react before the suit draped over her shoulders was blown away. She instinctively turned halfway around, looking toward where the wind had come from.


In that moment, Van saw the slight redness in her eyes.


The crystal chandelier hanging in the hallway trembled from the wind, and the sparkling crystal columns collided, making a sound like wind chimes.


Van stopped, bent down, and picked up the woman's suit that had fallen in front of him. When he stood up, he didn't say a word, only looking at Winnie.


The light from the chandelier shimmered like ripples in a pond, accompanied by the movement of her white evening gown.


From confusion to calmness, Winnie regained her composure in an instant. She turned to Yulia and instructed, "Go thank Mr. Marlowe."


Chapter 29