My Billionaire Frenemy

Mara's POV "And that will be it for today," Prof. Tristan said. She packed up her laptop and iPad and walked out of the class. Almost immediately, there was an instant uproar as students, mainly guys, started discussing how hot she was. Two seats away from me, I could already hear Jason, his voice as loud as it had been for the two years I have known him. As usual, he was full of himself and thinking the world revolved around him, as his words showed. "I bet you a thousand dollars she's into me. Did you see the way she was looking at me?" he bragged. His two goons laughed. A sycophantic laugh that made disgust rise up my throat. Ignoring the noise, I hurried out of the lecture hall, eager to be away from the cacophony and Jason's annoying self. Reaching for my phone to check the schedule for tomorrow's orientation, I felt a buzz in my pocket and smiled. Dad? That was unusual. He usually waited until evening to text. According to him, he was so busy trying to make a future for me. He was doing a poor job of it, but I wouldn't have cared if he had been there for me when I needed him. But he was too busy traveling around the world on his quest to find a bank that would fund his new business idea. Unlocking the screen, I was about to read the message when I crashed right into someone. My phone flew out of my hand, the familiar sting of impact shooting through my fingers. "Watch where you're going, clumsy!" a sneer dripped from the person I'd collided with. Looking up, I met the icy blue eyes of Jason, a smirk playing on his lips. He looked down at my fallen phone, then back at me with amusement. "Butterfingers much?" Anger flared in my chest. It was clear he had deliberately blocked me just so I could crash into him. But I remembered the terms of the modeling contract and forced a smile. My perfect image couldn't afford even a hint of a public outburst, or I might find myself working my ass off for my college funds. "Sorry," I mumbled, bending down to retrieve my phone. A small crack webbed across the screen, mirroring the one forming in my heart. This phone had been a splurge, bought with weeks of saved-up allowance. He scoffed. "You should be. Now you can't show off your latest selfie to your millions of fans." I gritted my teeth. He clearly knew about the modeling contract, probably using it to fuel his arrogance. Just as I straightened up, the phone clutched protectively in my hand, it buzzed again, sending tingles through my fingers. A new message, from Dad again. Ignoring Jason's presence, I tapped on the notification. My frown deepened. He said he was already here, waiting for me! He was supposed to arrive tomorrow for the matriculation ceremony. What was he doing here? He had been so close to getting this bank in Africa to shell out the millions he needed. According to his texts, anyway. He couldn't have left them just to be here a day early, could he? That would be so unlike him. Confused, I looked around for him. He said he was somewhere around the lecture hall. Suddenly, a voice boomed from behind me. "Mara! There you are, my little firecracker!" I whipped around to see Dad striding towards me, his warm smile erasing the earlier frown. A wave of relief washed over me. Dad was here, early, and that's all that mattered. Suddenly, a cold shadow fell over me. I looked up to see Jason, face contorted in a mixture of surprise and something else I couldn't decipher. Before I could react, a deep, booming voice cut through the air. "Don? Is that you?" Don was my father's nickname. I turned to see a tall, broad-shouldered man approaching, his smile mirroring Dad's. They clasped hands in a firm, almost military-style handshake. My stomach lurched. The air crackled with a strange familiarity, and then it hit me. I have been seeing the face quite a lot recently, especially in the magazine the model company I worked for hosted. There have been talks of him expanding into the fashion industry, and he wanted to start it off by buying the biggest player in the field. Standing before me, towering over my dad and radiating an unmistakable aura of authority, was none other than Mr. King, Jason's father. The CEO of King Industries, and one of Dad's oldest friends, or so Dad always said. I should have made the connection earlier. Jason King. That was how Jason had introduced himself to me on our first day of lectures, right before he proceeded to dump hot coffee on my head with no other reason than that my beauty irritates him, since I was more beautiful than all his girlfriends. My heart hammered against my ribs. The arrogant playboy and the CEO - they were father and son. My gaze darted between them, the world suddenly tilting on its axis. This couldn't be happening. Not here, not now. Jason sauntered towards us, a smirk twisting his handsome features. He made a show of greeting Dad, his voice dripping with feigned politeness. "Mr. Walker, good to see you again." He completely ignored me, the air around him thick with unspoken animosity. The realization hit me like a punch to the gut. Jason knew my father too. How else would he have known my surname? I can't remember ever introducing myself after he spilled hot coffee on me. Even if I lost my memories, I was sure there was no way I didn't slap him and walked away after he did that. The unexpected encounter, the sudden revelation, and the simmering tension hanging in the air threatened to pull the ground from under my feet. My first week in college had just taken a sharp turn, and I wasn't sure if I liked it much. A little disoriented, I tugged my dad's sleeves. "Hey, you said you couldn't be here till tomorrow," "Yeah," he replied, smiling broadly. "But I got a message from King here and we decided to meet today. Who knew we had our wards in the same college?" "This is great! Our children could link up while we discuss business," Mr. King said, rubbing his hands and looking at Jason, who had replaced the scowl on his face with a dazzling smile. This is not great. At all.