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 lowered her head, trying to hide the flutter in her heart. "I didn't mean it like that..."


Van's voice was clearly composed. "Which meaning?"


At that moment, staff called from outside, and all her reactions were almost instinctive. She immediately hung up the phone and, as she turned around, her cheeks flushed slightly. She felt like a teased Venus, suddenly embarrassed.


"Winnie, we still have three people ahead of you." The staff gently reminded her.


Winnie nodded, took a deep breath, and said with feigned calmness, "It's hot."


"It might be because you're wearing boots," the staff member kindly responded.


Winnie gave a slight nod, took a few steps, and finally regained her signature composure and elegance.


At this moment, Fiona was talking with the recently arrived Ivy when suddenly a staff member hurried over and whispered in Fiona's ear, "Evelyn won't get out of the car."


Chapter 93