[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-bound-to-my-enemy":3,"chapter-bound-to-my-enemy-bound-to-my-enemy-chapter-148":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},1600086,2067,"Chapter 148.","bound-to-my-enemy-chapter-148",148,"\u003Cp>\"That is not what happened!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Sounds like it.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I’m not jealous,\" I repeat firmly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I pause, then add,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I just don’t like her.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zane’s mouth twitches again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Alright.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I glare at him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Don’t look at me like that.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Like what?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Like you’re enjoying this.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He doesn’t even try to deny it. Instead he reaches for a pen on his desk, spinning it slowly between his fingers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If she actually disrespected you,\" he says casually, \"I can have her fired.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That catches me off guard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Or I will have her transferred to another branch.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He shrugs lightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Your choice.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I blink at him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You’re serious?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Of course.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The casual way he says it makes my stomach twist.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That’s ridiculous.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zane lifts an eyebrow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You just said she hit you.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"She did.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Then what’s the problem?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The problem is I don’t want someone to lose their job because of me!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zane watches me carefully now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That’s not what would happen.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yes it is.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No,\" he says calmly. \"What would happen is she would learn not to disrespect you.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I shake my head immediately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His eyes narrow slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You’re refusing?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yes.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Even though she might have intentionally shoved you?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yes.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zane studies my face for a long moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You are strange.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Excuse me?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Most people in your position would enjoy the power.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Well I don’t.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I move closer to his desk.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I’m not ruining someone’s livelihood because she annoyedl me and maybe purposely pushed me .\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zane leans back in his chair again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His gaze drifts over my face like he’s trying to understand somethin\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Interesting.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What is?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I frown slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That’s not helpful.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He sets the pen down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Very well,\" he says. \"She keeps her job.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Good.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"But if she disrespects you again.....\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"She won’t.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You seem confident.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I shrug.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If she does I’ll handle it myself.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now Zane actually chuckles quietly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I’d like to see that.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I roll my eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Anyway.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I take a breath because I didn’t come here to argue about his secretar, j came for something much more important.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zane seems to notice the shift in my expression and the amusement fades from his face slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Something else on your mind?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I hesitate for a second then say quietly,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I went to see my brothers.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The room goes very arill as Zane’s eyes sharpen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"And?\" he asks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My fingers tighten slightly around the strap of my bag.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"And we need to talk.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zane doesn’t say anything after I say it, so I continue....\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I went to see my brothers.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The office suddenly feels smaller.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"And?\" he asks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just that, one word but there’s something underneath it....some kind of edge.....\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I shift my weight slightly, stepping further into the room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I talked to Lucas.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zane’s jaw tightens almost instantly...It’s small and barely noticeable but I see it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I swallow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"He told me what happened that night.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zane leans back slowly in his chair, one arm resting on the armrest, the other tapping once against the desk before going still.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Did he now....what version of the story did he give you?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There’s something cold about the way he says it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I take a breath.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"He said.....\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"He always says something, doesn’t he \" Zane cuts in smoothly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My eyebrows pull together.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Zane.....\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What did he tell you?\" he asks again, his voice clear er now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I hesitate for half a second, but then I keep going.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"He said he loved her.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That actually makes Zane laugh, not an amused one. It’s short and bitter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Of course he did.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My stomach tightens.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"He said they were together,\" I continue carefully. \"That their relationship was a secret because she was scared of how you’d react.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zane’s gaze drops to the desk for a second then back to me... he looks unimpressed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"And you believed him.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I didn’t say that yet.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You didn’t have to.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I step closer to the desk.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"He sounded sincere.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Lucas is very good at sounding sincere.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"He also sounded heartbroken.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zane scoffs quietly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Heartbroken.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yes.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The tension in the room thickens.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"He said the night she died, you caught them together,\" I continue slowly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That’s when Zane finally moves, h pushes back from the desk and stands up and rthe chair rolls back a few inches behind him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"And?\" he says\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"He said you dragged her away.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I did.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"He said you two got into the car and left.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yes.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"He said he wanted to follow but...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"But what?\" Zane cuts in again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"He thought it was better to give you time to cool down.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zane stares at me for a moment... then he laughs again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This time it’s harsher.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Oh that’s rich.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I frown.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"He told you he waited because he didn’t want to fight me in front of her. Right?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That’s what he said.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zane shakes his head slowly, running a hand over his mouth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Unbelievable.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"He also said...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Elaine.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The way he says my name stops me mid-sentence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He walks around the desk slowly, eac step deliberate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Let me get this straight,\" he says calmly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I don’t like that tone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You walked into your brothers’ house. Sat down with Lucas. Listened to whatever tragic love story he fed you...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That’s not fair.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"And now you’re here,\" he continues over me, \"to tell me he was deeply in love with my sister.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I lift my chin slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That’s what he said.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zane stares at me for a long moment, then he exhales through his nose and looks away, shaking his head once.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Of course he did.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My patience starts slipping.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Why are you acting like that?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Like what?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Like only the idea of it is ridiculous.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zane looks back at me... because apparently it is.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Elaine,\" he says slowly, \"I walked into our warehouse and caught my best friend fucking my only sister.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My face heats slightly at the bluntness and the mental image he just put in my head. Ewwwww I don’t want to picture my brother screwing someone, that’s just plain gross.\u003C\u002Fp>",1002,"2026-06-06T09:39:37.420Z",1,"novelbin.me","3ec354d82a046869ca5707ab5fd8f7168d4e1e2e75bc23217ffdc244b9ecf0a4","bound-to-my-enemy-chapter-149","bound-to-my-enemy-chapter-147",266,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fbound-to-my-enemy-cover.jpg"]