Define Charade

Ava Sinclair had two rules for her dream New Year's cruise: no heartbreak and no impulsive flings. But when she catches her boyfriend cheating and a charming stranger, Ryan Carter, offers a deal she can't refuse, pretend to be his girlfriend in exchange for revenge. Her carefully laid plans are tossed overboard. What started as a harmless charade turned into a whirlwind night of passion. But when the cruise ends, Ava and Ryan return to their lives, leaving their connection behind. Ryan showed up months later needing Ava's help to maintain a facade for an Important business deal. Ava agreed again despite her better judgment only to find herself thrust into the spotlight when their photos went viral, branding her as Ryan's girlfriend to the world. Caught between her desires to stay out of the limelight and her undeniable feelings for Ryan. Ava must confront the truth: was their connection always just an act or is there something real worth fighting for?

When event planner Sophia Martinez crashes billionaire Ethan Cross's exclusive charity gala, she's just trying to steal enough food to feed her dying mother. She never expects to catch the attention of New York's most ruthless CEO or to accept his shocking proposal. Ethan offers Sophia five million dollars for six months of her life: pose as his devoted fiancée to make his ex jealous and secure the biggest business deal of his career. The rules are simple no real feelings, no physical contact, just perfect public performances as the ideal couple. But Sophia harbors a devastating secret. She's the daughter of the man who destroyed Ethan's family empire five years ago, and she's been living with the guilt ever since. As she falls deeper into the charade, the lines between pretense and reality blur. Every stolen glance, every fake smile, every staged kiss pulls her further from her mission and closer to the man she's supposed to hate. Ethan finds himself breaking his own rules. The woman he hired to heal his wounded pride is awakening feelings he thought were dead. But when business rival Marcus Reid begins circling like a vulture, threatening to expose their arrangement, Ethan realizes the game has become far more dangerous than either of them anticipated. As corporate espionage collides with family secrets, Sophia must choose between protecting the man she loves and saving herself from a past that refuses to stay buried. When Ethan discovers her true identity, their contract becomes worthless but their hearts have already signed a deal that could destroy them both. In a world where billion-dollar empires rise and fall on trust, can love survive the ultimate betrayal? Or will the truth shatter more than just their fake engagement?