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

Evelyn smiled faintly, almost teasingly saying, "If you ask me, she's just being foolish. A simple massager could solve the problem. Giving up billions in family fortune for this man—whether it works or not, it's all the same."


Winnie said, "Evelyn, are you implying that Henry has performance issues?"


Henry was also a second-generation rich kid, younger than Evelyn, and they were already engaged.


Evelyn gave her a light slap and hissed, "Stop talking nonsense."


Winnie handed the phone back to Evelyn. "You know how the gossip reporters are, and his ex wouldn't be that stupid to come out and say these things. Doesn't she know she'd be making an enemy of him?"


"He loves her," Evelyn responded. "Didn't you read the article? It says he lost the love of his life. She's loved, so she doesn't fear offending him."


Winnie fell silent for a moment. She quietly reflected on those words and suddenly understood.


Chapter 55