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 woke up to find it was already noon. Van wasn't by her side, but there was a note on the bedside table that read: Rest well, remember to take your medicine.


She still felt sore and weak all over, but the worst part was when she turned over—her right buttock hurt terribly. Her mind went blank as she tried to figure out the source of the pain.


"Wait... Van..." Winnie suddenly jolted awake, sitting up in alarm.


"Oh sh*t!" Winnie's vision blurred as she tried to recall if she had said anything she shouldn't have the night before. She vaguely remembered crying and fussing with Van, clinging to him and not letting go.


She was mortified! How could she face Van now? The only thought running through her mind was to run away.


Despite feeling sore, dizzy, and weak in the legs, she quickly got out of bed, changed into a black cloak and beret, and hurriedly bolted out the door. Just as she reached the threshold, a dark figure blocked her path.


Chapter 77