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 flipped through the contract, which stipulated that she must meet Van twice a week, with each meeting lasting no less than two hours. Given her job nature, where she could potentially be on set for several months at a time, the contract allowed for flexibility. Any missed days could be made up during her time off. It really did feel like a labor contract...


When Winnie pushed open the door and returned home, she found Julia and Wendy snuggled in the corner of the couch, fighting over a magazine.


Julia jumped up excitedly and asked, 'How did you come back? Did Mr. Marlowe send you?"


'You think he's as free as you?" Winnie wasn't in the mood to entertain Julia. She turned to Wendy, 'By the way, Wendy, has Mr. Marlowe always been someone who keeps to himself?"


Chapter 69