Tarnished

Zara James thought she had it all—a promising journalism career, a passion for uncovering the truth, and the guts to expose the powerful. But when her exposé on a corrupt politician backfires, her world comes crashing down. Blacklisted, penniless, and humiliated, Zara is desperate to rebuild her shattered life. Enter Adrian Cross, a tech billionaire with a reputation as ruthless as it is alluring. Adrian’s empire is on the verge of collapse, thanks to a scandal tied to his enigmatic and estranged brother, Nathaniel. Desperate to salvage his public image, Adrian offers Zara an irresistible deal: become his fake fiancée, and he’ll give her the exclusive story that could redeem her career. It’s a win-win—or so it seems. Thrown into a world of glittering galas, high-stakes boardrooms, and shadowy secrets, Zara quickly realizes Adrian is hiding more than just a tarnished reputation. Beneath his icy exterior lies a man haunted by betrayal, bound by dark ties to his family’s criminal empire. As their staged romance starts to feel dangerously real, Zara finds herself torn between her growing feelings for Adrian and the truth she’s determined to uncover. But Adrian isn’t the only one with secrets. Ethan Blackwood, a charming stranger who sweeps Zara off her feet, has his own hidden agenda—one that ties him to her worst enemy. Caught in a web of lies, power plays, and dangerous alliances, Zara must navigate the treacherous waters of love and ambition. When betrayal strikes from all sides, Zara faces an impossible choice: trust the man who’s kept her in the dark or risk everything for the one who might be playing her.

Life has a lot of things in store for us. We feel we are destined to be with someone or destined to be somewhere but later realise that it was just meant to be for some time. Avina Walker is the second daughter of the Walker family. Her father owns one of the biggest textile industries in Los Angeles. Despite having all the luxuries at her beck and call, she still felt lonely and sad. Her mother doesn't like her and her sister switches from being nice to being cold or cruel. She did all she could to be accepted but it feels like she was just meant to be an outcast. Her elder sister is engaged but Avina was not bothered and kept working hard. As the days turned into weeks and weeks into months and months into years, Avina's father worried about the single status of his daughter and didn't know what to do. Luck finally smiled at him when one of his friends and business partner also seem to have the same worry concerning his son. ************* Carter Blake Sanchez is a self-made billionaire and an heir to a conglomerate business, in Los Angeles. His name is known to both the old and young. His name is always on the front page of business magazines or fashion magazines. He has a few scandals on his name but his reputation and image have never been tarnished/tampered with. He mostly talks about business and how he got to achieve all he has. Questions about him getting married have always popped up during his interviews but he always ignores them. His handsomeness was enough to help him get a get but he was heartbroken and preferred to work. This got his parents worried and they played the role of matchmakers.