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

Globally, there are fewer than 160 superyachts, which means that the number of billionaires who truly own such luxurious vessels barely exceeds 100. Among them, over 80% choose to remain low-key, deliberately concealing their identities. Nearly all media outlets struggle to trace their whereabouts, and their names are nowhere to be found on Forbes' billionaire lists. Typically, these yachts are registered under inconspicuous names—perhaps a little-known restaurant owner or an obscure small-time vendor.


The price of a superyacht usually starts at around $200 million, with astronomical costs for docking fees and daily maintenance. The routine expenses alone amount to hundreds of thousands of dollars, making this lifestyle an unattainable dream for most. These yachts are no longer merely symbols of wealth; they transcend worldly possessions, representing an almost mythical level of luxury and exclusivity.


Chapter 87