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

As the lights slowly dimmed, the noise in the venue gradually quieted down.


In a quiet, unnoticed corner, Van's finger lightly grazed her shoulder, the touch so fleeting it felt like a secret meant only for them. In that moment, the world faded, leaving just the two of them in a silent intimacy—profound, yet delicately restrained.


Winnie's ears tingled, her entire being wrapped in an indescribable emotion. Van's voice, deep and gentle, filled the quiet night air as he whispered, just for her, "Wanting to meet you was arranged. Meeting you was fate."


The grand symphony swelled, the music echoing through the space, as the curtain slowly rose. The host stepped onto the stage, and the Celestial Excellence Awards officially began.


Chapter 122