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

Her soft body pressed against him, their breaths mingling, her cheek almost brushing the skin on his neck.


Van was caught off guard by her question, his breath and heartbeat both disordered. In the stillness, he released her and stepped back. His abruptness caused him to lose the usual calm and ease he carried.


"Sorry," he murmured, no matter what kind of woman she was, an apology was still needed.


"No need!" Winnie quickly responded, her gaze dropping elsewhere. "I was the one who seduced you first..."


Both space and time seemed to freeze in silence. She had said something inappropriate again. But she had her own way of handling it. Though it was awkward and painful, she remained proud and defiant, refusing to look at him. Because of that, she didn't see Van raise his hand, his face unreadable as he tightened his tie knot.


"I really underestimated you," he said, his tone impossible to read.


Chapter 28