Fake dating my enemy, The playboy billionaire-Chapter 156: The race (Part 1)

"Go home, babies! That’s my beasty bro on the track, clapping your f*cking a**!" Suyin pulls out a ten-buck note and adds it to the kids’ swear jar, earning a HUGE grin from them.

"Hey! Is that a f*cking lawn mower you’re driving? Turn it off before you embarrass your mama!" Meimei adds a hundred-buck note to the jar. "Keep it, kids. Today, you’re all gonna be rich."

They both look at Vivian, pushing her to say something, and Honey is ready with his swear jar. Vivian gulps, takes out a paper from her pocket, and reads in a whisper, "Does your car come with a walking stick or are you driving with one foot on the brake?"

Honey frowns and returns to his seat with his sisters. Yuyu consoles him, "It’s okay, bro. Aunty Vivian needs more training. I’m sure our moms will teach her."

My dolls are crazy today. Unhinged. I look at my brothers, and they just shrug. Zian adds a thousand-buck note to the swear jar and winks at the kids.

Can’t blame them. The racing arena is buzzing! The crowd, the thrill, the excitement of seeing my baby tear up the track, competing against the best—it’s next level. Am I nervous? No. Well, maybe a little. But I can’t let it show. My biggest support system is here in the FJ pit with me. I bought them a VIP box, but my crazy family chose to roast in the blazing sun with me. That includes my kids and Bear, who absolutely hates the sun. They’re all wearing FJ t-shirts, carrying big smiles, looking absolutely adorable, and cheering like maniacs. Even Bear’s being a good boy instead of his usual naughty self, sitting next to Vivian’s husky. Tell me why? I can’t stop laughing at this.

I’m at #8! It’s only the second lap.

"It’s marvelous. Truly a beast! Proud of you," a surprise hug from Jianyu sends goosebumps through me. Coming from him, that means the world.

Suyin catches me wiping the corner of my eye and clicks a picture. Before I can chase after her, a heavy hand falls on my other shoulder as Shishi pats me in silent praise—or maybe to warn me not to go after his wife. I’ll choose what I like.

"Jun, I want that car! I won’t mind an early birthday gift." Not the first time Zian’s asked me this, but definitely the first time I see literal hearts in his eyes for someone other than Vivian.

I pick up his jaw. "Keep dreaming."

"Meanie. Then I’m going to steal it. Bite me."

The only person missing is Yiren. Oh, c’mon, Bunny, where are you? She didn’t even reply to my "Love you" message.

"Hm... Yifan hasn’t reached his team pit yet. His team is in chaos," Meimei mutters, keeping an eye on Yifan’s team pit from her laptop. She’s already hacked into the camera to keep tabs on things. Just in case.

"My men failed to locate him these past few weeks. It’s like he’s disappeared into hell and then reappears out of nowhere," I admit. It’s frustrating. How the hell is he covering his tracks so well? I’ve got the best team, yet we fail every time.

"Do you think he’ll show up here after what happened at the cruise? By now, he knows the ball is still in our court," Jianyu says, checking his watch. "Where’s Yiren? She’s missing all this."

"Might be stuck in traffic. Should be here any minute—" I glance at the entrance and see Ning and Kai walking in. "Here she is—" I trail off as I realize no one’s behind Ning. "Where’s Yiren?"

Ning frowns. "Ah, I couldn’t come with her. Kai’s got an upset stomach last minute, and then I had to brief Liam’s new nanny. But she left before us. She hasn’t reached yet?"

I speed dial Yiren’s number, but the call rings for too long and she doesn’t answer. I call Sasha, her bodyguard, but again, no answer.

"What’s wrong?" Ning asks, reading the concern on my face.

"She isn’t answering."

"I’ll call Sasha." Jianyu pulls out his phone.

"I did. But he didn’t answer."

[Team FJ takes over team Ball Busters] That’s Yifan’s team name. The screen shows the fresh position after the 4th lap, and we’re #7. As the team pit is displayed on the Jumbotron, my engineers show a victory sign. But I can’t bring myself to move...

My phone pings. I open WhatsApp, hoping it’s from Yiren. When I see the picture, my blood chills. The world around me turns upside down.

No. No. No.

"Jun?" Jianyu snatches my phone from my hand, and I barely register what’s happening around me. The world feels like it’s spinning.

I snatch the headphones from my team engineer, who is connected to Zeng. "Zeng, pull off. We’re not competing."

"What? Why?"

"Just do it!"

"Are you f*cking out of your mind, Jun?"

"I—"

Jianyu snatches the headset from me, and before I can retort, he gives me a death glare. "Yiren is kidnapped. Yifan wants us to pull off. Listen to me, just make sure you don’t compete for the rankings. And stay behind Yifan’s team. Can you manage that? Good. Thanks."

"Guys, we’re moving inside. Zian, Viv, stay here with the kids and team. Call if you need us." Jianyu throws the headset at Zian and grabs me by the arm, hauling me inside. "If you pull now, you’re answerable to the Federation. They will cancel your f*cking license and ban you."

"Like hell I care," I yank myself free from his grip.

"I don’t either. But this message doesn’t say he will return her to you if you pull out of the race. He’s playing with you because he knows she’s your weakness." He holds me by the shoulder. "Hold yourself, Jun. Yifan doesn’t want you to win, and I gave him that. Now it’s time we plan to get Yiren back."

My chest tightens as the words sink in. They’re right. Yifan knows how much I love Yiren. And he’s using that to hurt me, to manipulate me.

I clench my fists, my mind racing as the seconds tick away. I won’t let him win. I won’t let him take her from me.

*****