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

"Do you know how long Miss Loxley plans to stay at tonight's event?" Eric asked, breaking Van's brief moment of recollection.


That memory was hardly innocent. While it had a platonic ending, the chaotic process in between left his throat tight.


He unbuttoned a collar button. "I'll pick her up at nine tonight. For now, let's head to the office."


Eric, sharp as ever, knew the office stop was incidental since the company building was closer to the venue. He advised, "You've just been to Germany for meetings and then to Tanzania. You're still recovering from that cold. Why not head home and rest? When the time comes, I can arrange for someone to pick her up."


"OK," Van ended Eric's persuasion with a simple response. Closing his eyes for a brief rest, he listened to the host escort Winnie off the red carpet.


Chapter 108