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

As the partition in the Maybach slowly rose, the front and back seats were gradually separated into two distinct spaces.


Winnie wasn't unfamiliar with riding in a Maybach; apart from noticing that Van's car was unusually long and wide, she had never thought it would actually have a partition, let alone that it would be raised at this very moment.


The partition was made of glass, so it didn't feel oppressive, but it didn't allow silhouettes through and had excellent soundproofing, so good that she couldn't hear any sounds from Eric in the front.


The courage she had just mustered to flirt was now completely gone. She wanted to run, but as soon as she lifted her butt slightly, the man's hand precisely pinned her down.


He didn't use much force, but there was an undeniable sense of dominance; his hand was simply pressed against the fullness of her hip—firm, but not moving further.


Winnie didn't know whether to call him a rogue or compliment him for being a gentleman.


Chapter 61