[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-bound-to-my-enemy":3,"chapter-bound-to-my-enemy-bound-to-my-enemy-chapter-167":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},1600105,2067,"Chapter 167.","bound-to-my-enemy-chapter-167",167,"\u003Cp>\"That’s the problem with you, Zane.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her voice loses some of its teasing edge and it becomes more serious now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"She deserves to know the truth.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zane’s eyes are still fixed on her, and for the first time since he walked in, I see something in his expression that looks dangerously close to anger. Not the kind he throws around during training, not the irritated kind too.... this one is darker.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Claire,\" he says.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just her name but the warning inside it is clear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She hears it but instead of backing down, her mouth curves slowly into a taunting smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Oh relax,\" she says lightly, waving her hand like he’s being dramatic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I’m not here to burn your house down... or to destroy your lovely marriage.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zane doesn’t respond as the silence presses harder against the room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Claire sighs, leaning back in the chair again like she has all the time in the world.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You know,\" she says casually, glancing between the two of us, \"this would be a lot easier if you’d just open your mouth and tell your darling wife the truth.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My stomach tightens.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Tell me what?\" I ask quietly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Neither of them answers mi as Claire looks at Zane again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her eyes narrow slightly then his voice drops lower.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Don’t.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Claire laughs, actually fucking laughs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Don’t what, baby?\" she asks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You going to throw me out of your house?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His jaw tightens.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Say another word and find out.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instead of looking scared, Claire leans forward on the table, hr chin rests lightly on her knuckles\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You know what I think?\" she says.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zane doesn’t answer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I think you’re scared.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yeah,\" she continues softly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That’s exactly what this is.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Claire,\" Zane warns again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But she’s already turning toward me, completely ignoring him now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Well,\" she says, like she’s about to share a piece of harmless gossip.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If your husband won’t say it, I will have to be the hero and say it .\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My heart begins beating harder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Say what?\" I ask.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Claire tilts her head slightly then...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Your precious husband...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She gestures toward Zane lazily.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...is my boyfriend.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It takes my brain a second to catch up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Claire corrects herself immediately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Well,\" she adds, shrugging slightly, \"ex-boyfriend now.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The room spins for half a second as I stand completely and utterly confused just staring at her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then I look at Zane.....He hasn’t said a word, not a single word.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My chest tightens.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What the hell are you talking about?\" I ask.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My voice sounds strange even to my own ears.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Claire studies my face like she’s measuring my reaction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Oh You didn’t know?\" she asks lightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You poor poor baby.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My head snaps toward Zane again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Zane.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nothing, He still hasn’t spoken and that silence feels louder than anything Claire could say.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My stomach drops as Claire watches the moment settle over me, then she leans back again, folding her arms loosely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"But wait wait...that’s not even the best part sweetheart,\" she says.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And I feel something cold slide down my spine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What do you mean ’that’s not the best part’?\" I ask.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Claire’s eyes flick toward Zane again and he looks like he’s barely holding his temper together.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he still doesn’t stop her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Do you remember the first time we met?\" she asks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The question throws me and my brows pull together.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The first time we met,\" she repeats patiently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"On the first day of school.....\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Oh yeah,\" she murmurs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I remember it perfectly.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My stomach twists.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Why are you talking about that?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Claire shakes her head slowly, amusement dancing in her eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Because it’s funny.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Funny how?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She tilts her head again, like she can’t believe I still haven’t figured it out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then she gestures lazily toward Zane.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Him.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What about him?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Claire smiles.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"He was the one who sent me to you.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The room goes still.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I blink.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I’m sorry... what?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Claire doesn’t hesitate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"He put me up to it,\" she says calmly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The day we met?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She nods once.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yep.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My eyes snap to Zane but hs face is unreadable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he still hasn’t denied it as Claire watches me absorb the words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then she chuckles again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I remember it clearly,\" she says.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Because Zane was the one who put me up to it.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For a few seconds after Claire’s last words, no one speaks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My mind is still trying to process what she just said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zane sent her, Zane sent her to meet me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My eyes slowly move to him, he’s just standing there with that same unreadable look on his face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You really didn’t know,\" she says quietly\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My throat feels dry.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What exactly are you saying?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Claire exhales slowly, rubbing both hands over her face like she’s trying to steady herself before speaking again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When she looks up at me this time, the calm mask she had earlier is starting to crack.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You and I didn’t meet by accident, Elaine.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The words land heavily.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"We became friends because Zane wanted us to.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My brows pull together.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That doesn’t even make any sense.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Claire laughs under her breath, but there’s no humor in it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It made perfect sense to him.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My chest tightens.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What do you mean?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Claire pushes her chair back slightly and stands up from the table.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The movement is restless, like she suddenly can’t sit still anymore.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"We’ve been friends since high school,\" she says.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her voice is uneven now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You trusted me.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I nod automatically because that part is true, Claire was one of the few people who knew everything about me growing up..... the stupid crushes I had on boys, all my secrets, the family fights and the ways my brothers could be. Literally everything\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You talked to me about everything,\" she continues.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Your family... your brothers... the business stuff you overheard at home... the arguments.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her eyes flick toward Zane, then back to me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"And Zane wanted to know it all.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Claire nods slowly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yes.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I shake my head immediately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No. That’s fucking ridiculous.\"\u003C\u002Fp>",1004,"2026-06-06T09:39:37.420Z",1,"novelbin.me","6dddad55f375e426848a8e267a8084934434c844f0c79230a7bd242da2e28a44","bound-to-my-enemy-chapter-168","bound-to-my-enemy-chapter-166",266,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fbound-to-my-enemy-cover.jpg"]