Jeremy Renner Accuser Says She Thought She and the Actor Were Dating

The drama between filmmaker Yi Zhou and actor Jeremy Renner ratcheted up the ugliness last week ... for Renner, it seems to be a story of misconduct and unethical business dealings -- but Zhou tells us it's more about heartbreak.

We caught up with Zhou in Beverly Hills Tuesday night, where she told us ... "I thought it was love -- maybe true love ... It seems that he thinks otherwise."

As we reported ... Renner alleges they had a "brief consensual encounter" in July ... but when they met again in August, he allegedly told Zhou he was not interested in a sexual relationship, and put her in a guest bedroom that night.

But Zhou told us she thought he was her "significant other."

She previously told the Daily Mail he tirelessly pursued her -- allegedly sending intimate pics and videos -- before ultimately winning her over. She claims they worked on a Disney documentary together, but things quickly went sour ... and that he even threatened to call ICE on her. Zhou told us she sent Renner 3 cease-and-desist letters.

For his part, Renner has reportedly sent Zhou a cease-and-desist letter of his own for the alleged unauthorized use of his voice in an A.I.-generated animation project called "Stardust Futures: Stars and Scars."

Zhou didn't speak to us about the animated movie claims, but she thanked Renner's powerhouse attorney, Marty Singer, for being a "peacemaker" ... despite representing her accuser, because that's how she would like to resolve their differences -- peacefully.

According to Zhou, she voiced her concerns -- not to get any settlement money, but to send a message to women that it's okay to share if you feel uncomfortable or frightened. Zhou says she's happy to have the chance to "speak out."

"I just want women to feel safe," she said.

As for Renner, she still thinks he has a good side -- which is what won her over in the first place.