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

Winnie felt uneasy under the man's intense gaze. His questioning seemed almost to directly tell her that he knew that she was in trouble.


Winnie paused for a moment, then looked up at him and smiled, her lips curving playfully. "What if I said yes, how would you help me?"


"It depends on what you want," he replied.


"It has nothing to do with you. Would you even help me?" Winnie lowered her head, unable to meet his piercing gaze.


"If you don't ask, how would you know if I would?"


"If you wouldn't, what good would it do for me to say it? Would you just want to hear a joke?"


Van's impatience flickered across his eyes. "Is it that hard for you to admit you need help from me?" Van stared at Winnie for several seconds, his gaze cold and commanding. "Stand up."


Winnie stood up, knowing she had upset him. She smiled awkwardly, trying to lighten the mood. "If I ruined your mood, would you throw me off the plane?"


Chapter 72