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

Van placed her gently on the bed, his eyes never leaving hers. He reached for her feet, easily slipping off her slippers, and then leaned over her, his body lightly pressing down.


Her thick hair lay in soft waves, like a cloud resting against her neck. Van tilted his head and gently pushed aside a strand, admiring the delicate lines of her neck and earlobe, then brought his face closer, his nose lightly brushing against the back of her ear.


He hadn't slept well the previous night, and thoughts of her had occupied his mind throughout the day. Between back-to-back meetings and piles of paperwork, the added worry of Wendy possibly struggling with everything only intensified his stress. By mid-afternoon, around three o'clock, he couldn't wait any longer and rushed over to check on her.


Winnie felt his breath against her skin, a tickling sensation that made her want to pull away, but she couldn't escape.


Chapter 116