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

By around 1 AM, after filming into the night, the whole crew was exhausted. Director Bramwell, in a rare moment of mercy, granted everyone a tea break of more than half an hour.


Outside the set, people were sprawled everywhere—some curled up with their bags, others lying on the equipment. There were also people smoking, drinking coffee, and splashing water on their faces. Everyone had their own way of coping.


Everyone quickly tried to steal a nap, and Winnie, too, felt tired. Fortunately, she had taken a nap during the day, so her eyelids didn't immediately fall shut. The next scene had a lot of dialogue, so she didn't dare rest, instead reviewing the lines she had memorized.


Yulia, struggling to stay awake, was soon lulled by Winnie's monotone recitation of her lines. She gave up and started playing on her phone.


Chapter 23