[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-bound-to-my-enemy":3,"chapter-bound-to-my-enemy-bound-to-my-enemy-chapter-10":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","Bound to my Enemy",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1599948,2067,"Chapter 10 - TEN.","bound-to-my-enemy-chapter-10",10,"\u003Cp>\"I wasn’t looking,\" Ivy continued quickly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Someone bumped into me and I just.....I’m really sorry, I’ll pay for the cleaning, I swear.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I pushed through the small crowd without thinking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ivy.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her head snapped toward me like she’d been holding her breath this entire time. Relief flooded her face instantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Elaine.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I stepped between her and the man without hesitation, my body acting before my mind caught up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It’s fine,\" I said, glancing briefly at the spill. \"We’ll cover it.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man hadn’t said a word yet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That alone made my skin prickle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I looked up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And everything in me went absolutely still.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I’d seen pictures. Everyone had. Magazine covers. Business articles. Blurry shots taken from across streets or behind tinted windows.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>None of them did him justice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zane Whitmore didn’t look irritated. Or amused. Or impressed like how the tabloids made him out to be.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He looked....absolutely breathtaking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His gaze settled on my face with unnerving precision, dark eyes sharp and assessing. Not lingering inappropriately just... watching.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Something in my chest tightened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I didn’t realize this booth was occupied,\" I added calmly, turning fully toward him. \"We’ll get out of your way.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before he could respond, a security guard appeared at my side.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Miss,\" the guard said firmly, placing a hand out to stop me. \"This area is restricted.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I frowned. \"We’re leaving.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He didn’t move. \"This is Mr. Whitmore’s section.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The name landed like a dropped glass, I knew it was him but having the confirmation was shit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zane Whitmore.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I kept my expression neutral by sheer force of habit, even as my heart started pounding.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zane’s gaze flicked to the guard. \"It’s fine.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The guard hesitated, then stepped back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zane turned his attention to Ivy, who looked like she might faint. \"Are you alright?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She nodded too quickly. \"Yes. I mean.....no, I mean yes. I just...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ivy,\" I said gently, placing a hand on her back. \"Breathe.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She did so shakily.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I’m really sorry,\" she said again, looking at Zane. \"I didn’t mean to spill anything on you.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He glanced down at his jacket, then back at her. \"It’s replaceable.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That wasn’t what he said that mattered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was how he said it. Falt and controlled. Like money wasn’t something that ever crossed his mind as a concern.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I felt something settle in my stomach.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You shouldn’t apologize so much,\" he added. \"It was an accident.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ivy nodded, clearly overwhelmed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zane’s gaze shifted back to me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"And you are?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I hesitated for half a second.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Long enough to feel the weight of the lie forming before I decided against using it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Elaine,\" I said. \"Her cousin.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Something subtle changed in his expression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not surprise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Recognition.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hartwell,\" he said slowly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My spine stiffened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yes.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His eyes held mine for a moment longer than necessary. I felt pinned in place, like he could see the calculation happening behind my eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I was told Miss Hartwell here would be joining me tonight,\" he said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My pulse spiked. Shit fuck! Fuck! Fuck!!Please don’t tell me he was supposed to be Ivy’s blind date. I silently prayed to whatever gods up there and listening.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ivy stiffened beside me. \"Uhm what?.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I cut in smoothly. \"Plans changed.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zane tilted his head slightly, studying me now with open interest. \"They usually do.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I swallowed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This wasn’t how I planned to meet him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But then again, nothing about tonight had gone according to plan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I think,\" I said carefully, \"we will be heading out now, I apologize for ruining your suit, this was a mistake.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Perhaps,\" he replied. \"Or perhaps you arrived exactly where you were meant to, as my date.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That sent a chill down my spine but irritation replaced it quickly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I directed my irritation at him. \"Who the fuck takes their first date to a club.\" He looked surprised for a second then he smirked, not answering my question.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I glanced at Ivy. She looked small and uncertain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And in that moment, my decision solidified completely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I turned back to Zane. \"Would you mind if I spoke with you privately?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One of his brows lifted. \"About?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"About the misunderstanding \" I said evenly. \"And how to correct it.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He studied me for a long moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then he nodded once.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Sit,\" he said, gesturing toward the booth.\u003C\u002Fp>",714,"2026-06-06T09:39:37.139Z",1,"novelbin.me","76e54c016b722ccb0e8359f71581f6f5f3d390ed63a82ba3c25209ff361ad465","bound-to-my-enemy-chapter-11","bound-to-my-enemy-chapter-9",266,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fbound-to-my-enemy-cover.jpg"]