Fake dating my enemy, The playboy billionaire

YIREN’S POV

FIRE!

SMOKE!

That’s what I see from a distance as I drive toward the lake project, massive clouds of smoke billowing in the air. My heart sinks as the sight grows closer. I immediately call the fire department. I’m not sure if anyone else has called them, but I don’t see any fire trucks on my way here. Panic starts to settle in my chest as I pull up.

I jump out of the car, people running in all directions, screaming, coughing... The heat of the fire hits me first, then the thick, choking smoke. My throat tightens as I force myself to keep moving forward.

I sprint toward the main building, where I see one of my workers dragging someone out of the building. I check the pulse, he is alive. "Is everyone out?" I ask desperately, my voice shaking. Please, God, say yes.

"No," he coughs, his voice strained. "Many are trapped... cough... on the third floor. But the stairs are badly on fire." My heart sinks even further.

Fuck, I think, my stomach tightening. The stairs... I’ve used a lot of wood in this project—those stairs are a mix of wood and glass, and now they’re fully engulfed. I hear desperate screams from the third floor. Kids. The little kids of the workers. They rest and play there.

No.

My gaze goes to the main building, engulfed in flesh-melting fire...

I can’t wait for the fire department. I can’t let them die. These are my people.

The tree house! I turn to no one and shout, "I NEED VOLUNTEERS! THESE ARE OUR PEOPLE AND KIDS. WE ARE NOT GOING TO SIT HELPLESS AND SEE THEM DIE!"

A few of my men rush over, their faces filled with worry and determination. "Get the ropes from the warehouse! All of them. NOW!"

Tang Levi comes running, panting heavily. Dark soot on his clothes and face.

"Did you call the fire department and paramedics?" I ask.

"I did. But I don’t know why no one’s here yet?" he coughs from the smoke, the air thick with heat. Something’s wrong. The fire department should be here by now. I also notice the strange smell of gasoline in the air.

"Are you okay? Can you help?" he nods, "Good. Count everyone who has made it out safely and note down the names. There were 304 workers and 23 kids on attendance today." I order.

I give Levi my phone as well, "Password is 28041993. Dial Jianyu’s number and tell him what’s happening. Tell him you’ve informed the fire department and ambulance, but they’re being assholes." Without waiting for a response, I start running toward the lake, with more workers following close behind.

The tree house is supposed to be connected to one of the rooms on the third floor by a network of ropes, like a spider’s nest. But the worker who was supposed to make the tree-net is on a holiday, hence this work is incomplete.

The tree house is a few meters away from the main house, so the fire hasn’t reached it yet. But it won’t stay that way for long. The fire is spreading fast, and once those branches catch, it will all go up in flames.

We have to hurry.

"Dunk the ropes into the water," I shout to the men trailing behind me. "And you too." Without hesitation, I dive into the lake, soaking myself in cold water. My clothes and body are drenched instantly, the shock of the cold water giving me a jolt of clarity amidst the chaos. I tear a part of my top and wrap it around my nose. The others do the same. But I have nothing for my eyes to keep them from stinging... so I can only rub my eyes on my wet clothes for temporary relief.

The tree house is our only chance. It’s the only thing keeping those kids alive right now. We have no time to waste.

This is where my training in scout camps comes in handy. Thanks to Mom, she threw Jun and me into those brutal camps every summer vacation. At the time, we hated it, but now? Now it’s saving lives.

"Stretch these ropes! I need five lines!" I bark out orders, and they follow my instructions, working with urgency. My hands move quickly, weaving the ropes into a temporary but sturdy net. The men around me scramble, working together as the heat intensifies, the flames dangerously close now.

One of the men trapped on the third floor spots the ropes. He stumbles over to the massive door, his face covered in soot, eyes wide with desperation. I gesture for him to grab the rope and hook it when we throw it up. My fingers move fast, tying a few extra knots at the end to make the rope heavier and easier to throw.

I hand it off to a worker who has more shoulder strength than me. "Throw it up," I instruct. "Someone get a ladder and place it against the tree."

In the meantime, I climb the tree, taking the other end. My skin bruises as I scrape against rough bark, my body groaning with the effort. The adrenaline keeps me going. When I reach the top, my knees wobble; if I fall, it’s game over for me.

I tie the other end securely to the tree, making sure it’s as strong as I can make it. The makeshift bridge is in place.

"Tie the kids to your bodies and start one by one. This isn’t strong enough to carry more than one person’s weight at a time." I sit by the other end of the rope, keeping an eye on it, making sure nothing gives way. I feel the weight of the responsibility pressing down on me, but I can’t afford to falter now. Not when lives are on the line.

Every time a person and a child cross to safety, I heave a sigh of relief and count the numbers with my breath held.

Not until the last person is safely down, I’m not out of the woods.

In the distance, I hear the wails of ambulances and fire vehicles. Tears roll down my eyes as I finally take in the extent of the damage.

My dreams...

My dreams burning down to ashes...