Fake dating my enemy, The playboy billionaire

YIREN

"Those are my reasons for keeping up the fight with you." I try to keep my voice calm, steady, but there’s a hint of challenge in it. "What are yours?"

Jun shrugs, staring out the window. "I used to tag along with your mom because she was the closest thing I had to a mother while living in a country full of strangers. I was craving what any kid would—a mother’s love. But you? You were that mean little brat who kept trying to push me out."

His words sink in, guilt tightening in my chest. I never saw it from his perspective before, and hearing it now... it stings. "I’m sorry," I whisper, not fully knowing what else to say.

He reaches over suddenly, and before I can pull away, his fingers gently tug my bottom lip free from my teeth. The unexpected contact sends a small jolt through me, and our eyes lock. His gaze flickers down to my mouth for a second, and my heart skips a beat. God, what’s happening here?

"I don’t blame you," he says quietly, withdrawing his hand, and leaving behind a strange warmth. "Any kid would’ve done the same. You didn’t want to share your mom’s love with some outsider. I get it now. She was your mom, not mine."

Silence stretches between us, thick and loaded. My fingers automatically find their way to Bear’s fur, stroking him, and he leans into my touch like the spoiled little fluffball he is. At least he’s good for emotional support.

Then the question I’ve kept buried for so long slips out before I can stop it. "Am I the reason you didn’t come to Mom’s funeral?"

He blinks, caught off guard. The way he looks at me makes it seem like I just punched him in the gut. "No power in this world could’ve stopped me from seeing her one last time," he says, his voice strained, a bitter edge creeping in.

I sit up straighter, my shock plain on my face. "You came?"

He nods, a sad smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "I stayed out of sight. I didn’t want to make things harder for you. But yeah, I was there, Yiren. I never stopped keeping an eye on her, even after she wasn’t working for us."

I can’t believe it. He was there? All this time, I thought...

"You stayed away because of me?" I finally ask, my voice barely a whisper.

"I didn’t want to make things worse," he admits. "Losing her was hard enough for you. You didn’t need me showing up and causing more tension."

I stare at him, unsure how to process this. The tension in my shoulders starts to ease, and I find myself leaning against Bear again, the familiar feel of his fur grounding me. The thought of Jun being there, just out of sight, changes everything.

But one question still nags at me. "Why didn’t you say something back then?"

He chuckles, shaking his head. "Would you have listened?"

I laugh, and it feels genuine for the first time in a while. "Probably not. You never really ranked high on my list of ’good people,’ you know?"

The mood shifts again, this time lighter. Like we’re putting some of the past behind us, letting go of old grievances.

"Really? Am I on the list now?" he teases, his smirk making my stomach flip a little.

"Maybe, maybe not." I give him a playful shrug.

But then my mind circles back to something else, something more serious. "What about Dad? What did you do?"

He rubs the back of his neck like he’s trying to avoid the subject. "Can we drop this?"

I narrow my eyes at him and press my nails lightly against his skin. "Tell me."

He laughs, gently prying my fingers away. "Your dad needed a wake-up call. So, I sent him pictures of you, Ning, the baby... I made sure he knew what went down at the warehouse."

My frown deepens. "Jun, that wasn’t necessary."

"It was," he insists, his tone firm. "Kai told me how your dad treated you and Ning after your mom died. Sometimes people need a bitter pill to face the truth." He leans in close, his breath warm against my ear, making me shiver. "I know because I’ve had to take my own bitter medicine recently."

I turn to him abruptly, and our lips brush—soft, electric, completely unintentional. We both jerk back like we’ve been zapped, wide-eyed and stunned.

From the corner of my eye, I spot Jianyu watching us with a barely-concealed smirk, his shoulders shaking with the effort to keep his laughter in check. Great. Just what I need—an audience for this awkward mess.

He clear his throat, trying to brush off the tension and I’m thankful for that. "Do you want anything to eat? We still have fries and burgers... or I can ask the crew to serve the meal."

At the mention of food, Bear perks up, wagging his tail like a lunatic and doing his little happy dance.

I can’t help but laugh, the tension between us finally breaking. "Keep acting like this, and I might have one less enemy in my life."

Jun’s grin spreads wide, and he turns toward me, offering his hand. "Not a bad idea. So, what do you say? Wanna make me your first friend?"

I stare at his outstretched hand like it’s a trap. He’s joking, right? He is joking.

"You’re serious?" I ask, still suspicious.

"As serious as Bear waiting for us to order him food." he replies, his grin never faltering. "C’mon, Yiren. What’s life without a little friendly sass?"

Friend? My first friend? The man I always treated as my enemy is extending a hand of friendship. And this... friendship looks... real? Without any maliciousness. Without any expectations.

Feng Junjie as a friend.

Sounds nice. I know he’ll be a good friend.

"You are taking so much time I’m starting to think you are planning my murder."

"Tempting."

"Careful I bite. Won’t be an easy kill."

"I have tricks up my sleeve."

"Unleash those tricks on me sweetheart. I’m game. But how about—" he looks down at his extended hand between us. Waiting.....

*****