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

After a moment, the man who had been resting with his eyes closed gave an order. "Play some music."


The driver turned on the radio, and to Winnie's surprise, it was a Spanish-language station. At this time of night, they were broadcasting a late-night entertainment commentary program. From the host's tone and exaggerated canned laughter, Winnie could tell it was a gossip show.


A series of female voices began to report, "The lead role in the film was taken by the Oscar-winning actress, no wonder Mina showed a cold attitude on set after the wrap-up, and the tension immediately exploded." After reading the script, the female host switched to a lighter, more relaxed tone. "Oh, fresh gossip, this is interesting!"


The male host laughed and casually said, "But with Winnie's status, she probably doesn't need to fight for roles."


Chapter 35