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

Winnie maintained her composure, smiling calmly as she looked at Van, waiting for his response.


Van's expression gave nothing away as he replied evenly, "How did you know I went on a blind date?"


Wendy seized the opportunity to step in and confess with a playful tone, "It's my fault, Mr. Marlowe. Your blind date was someone I've worked with before during an event. She took a picture."


After speaking, she flashed him a discreet "OK" gesture, her face brimming with mischief and triumph.


Van nodded slightly, his lips curving faintly. "Blind dates are about mutual choices. It doesn't matter if I like someone; it has to go both ways."


"She likes you," Wendy said, "She's even posting on Instagram, asking for everyone's encouragement."


Yulia chimed in, as if adding fuel to the fire, "So it's mutual, then."


Winnie shrugged, her lips curling into a wide grin. Tilting her head, she said with exaggerated cheer, "Congratulations, Mr. Marlowe."


Chapter 49