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

After a while, the executives and award-winning actors at the banquet gradually took their seats, and the atmosphere became serious once more. Winnie readied herself to face new challenges.


Fiona sat beside Winnie and smiled as she asked, "I remember you worked with Aaron on a project, didn't you?"


Aaron, a film emperor in his forties, carried an air of refined melancholy in his features. Once a top figure in the film industry, he had collaborated with Winnie a few years prior on a drama. That production became the year's second-highest box-office hit, earning Aaron his second Best Actor title. While Winnie didn't win any awards, her performance garnered multiple nominations, and fans considered her an "overlooked gem" in the awards circuit.


Winnie responded with a gentle smile, "Indeed, it's been quite a while since I last saw Aaron."


Aaron chuckled, "Oh, but Winnie, I see him every day."


Chapter 95