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 hanging up the phone, Van's other hand finally settled fully on Winnie's body. He pulled her tightly into his embrace, and she felt herself surrounded by the warmth of his presence, her whole being consumed by it.


The staff members remained quietly waiting by the side of the hallway. When Van stepped out first, Winnie followed right behind him, her earrings gently swaying, catching and reflecting faint flashes of light.


"Winnie, your earring..." One of the staff members noticed that one of her earrings had tilted slightly and walked over to adjust it for her.


"Thank you," Winnie said softly, giving Van a pointed glare as she did so.


After just over a minute of waiting, they arrived backstage. The award presentation had just finished, and the next winner was about to be announced. It was their turn to take the stage.


Chapter 123