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

Ada was a bit confused until she heard the sound of high heels coming to a stop with a sharp click.


She turned around, only to feel an unsettling sensation. Despite the woman having her face covered, her beauty was undeniable—so striking that it almost made people afraid to look directly at her.


But Van was looking straight at her, expressionless, his eyes like a foggy abyss.


The hotel manager was puzzled to see that the previously imposing and cool woman suddenly seemed very girlish at that moment. He could almost imagine that under her mask, her expression must be one of tightly pursed lips.


Winnie was tense all over, thinking, "No way, I've had a super transformation today; even Ruby might not recognize me. How could Van? And please, an old classmate is waiting for him to catch up; how could he have any attention for me?"


She closed her eyes, gritted her teeth, and took a soft step, trying to slip away nonchalantly.


Van narrowed his eyes and called her out slowly, "Winnie."


Chapter 56