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

As the phone screen went black, the faint light that had been reflected in Winnie's eyes also faded. She closed her eyes and handed the phone to Yulia. "Disconnect the internet for three days."


The hotel where the crew was staying wasn't far, and after returning to her room, Winnie filled the bathtub with water and submerged her bruised and battered body. Her knees, shoulder blades, and elbows were all scraped, with varying depths of bloodstains.


The pain from the hot water was so intense that she drew in a sharp breath, her body tensing at the sensation.


It seemed someone had let it slip, and the director found out about her injuries. After a few more scenes of emotional acting, he generously gave her two days off. She slept for two days in her room.


Chapter 17