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 suddenly felt that, in this man who usually remained calm, there seemed to be a subtle, almost imperceptible emotion hidden in his words.


"Mr. Marlowe, did you ever have a horse?" she asked softly.


Van smiled slightly. "I did. It was called 'Black Shadow,' all black, with a small white mark on its forehead. It was a gift for my sixth birthday."


The rest didn't need to be asked. Winnie lowered her head, her eyes dimming. She felt the night breeze and the scent of the grass, sensing that the pony had already grown accustomed to the environment here—just like it was in its home in England.


Van leaned slightly forward and pulled her into his arms. "I'm giving you a gift, so why are you getting sentimental?"


Winnie felt a wave of warmth near her ear as he gently rubbed her ear.


"Do you want to go back, or stay?" he asked.


For her, that question seemed almost impossible to answer.


Chapter 111