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 act of revenge was so impulsive, driven by a reckless defiance. Yet she took it seriously. Her slender arms crossed tightly around his waist, as if afraid he might break free, holding on with all her strength.


Van was wearing only a shirt, neatly tucked into his suit pants. As Winnie hugged his waist, she could feel the firm texture of his muscles and bones, exuding strength.


On the wide men's watch dial on her left wrist, the second hand moved at a pace that seemed both fast and slow.


'Twenty seconds," she murmured, counting with her eyes closed.


'One minute," she declared with the attitude of a winner.


'That's enough for today," Winnie said, tilting her face upward. 'Mr. Marlowe, you're so trustworthy. If you scold me, I'll just waste your money."


The way she looked made Van feel that not kissing her in this moment would be unmanly.


Chapter 66