[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-bound-to-my-enemy":3,"chapter-bound-to-my-enemy-bound-to-my-enemy-chapter-20":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},1599958,2067,"Chapter 20 - TWENTY.","bound-to-my-enemy-chapter-20",20,"\u003Cp>No one spoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Atleast Not immediately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The words hung there, heavy and unreal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I’m sorry,\" Lucas said finally, his voice sharp. \"You want who?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zane didn’t repeat himself. He didn’t need to. He was still looking at me, calm as ever, like he hadn’t just dropped a match into a room full of gasoline.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I felt every pair of eyes turn toward me. Ivy’s. My brothers’.Even my grandfather’s, though his was slower, more measured.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I think there’s been a misunderstanding,\" my grandfather said. His tone was controlled, but there was an edge to it now. \"The arrangement was for Ivy.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I know,\" Zane replied. \"That was the arrangement.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Noah pushed off the bookshelf. \"You don’t just walk in here and change the rules.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zane finally looked away from me and turned his attention to Noah. \"I can. And I just did.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lucas stood up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The chair scraped loudly against the floor. \"You don’t get to say her name like that,\" he said. \"Not in this house.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zane’s gaze shifted back to him. The air between them tightened instantly, like something old and ugly had just woken up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Sit down, Lucas,\" my grandfather warned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lucas didn’t. \"You think this is funny?\" he demanded. \"You come here, stir this up, and expect us to just sit through it?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zane’s mouth twitched. Not a smile. Something colder. \"I don’t expect anything from you.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That did it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lucas took a step forward, fists clenched. Noah moved without thinking, grabbing his arm and pulling him back. \"Don’t,\" he said under his breath. \"Not here.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Caleb stood too, positioning himself slightly in front of Ivy without making it obvious. \"Maybe we should all take a breath,\" he said. \"Because this feels like it’s about to go sideways.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I was still sitting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still quiet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still staring at Zane like if I looked away, this would somehow become less real.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My grandfather turned to me. \"Elaine,\" he said. \"Did you know about this?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I swallowed. My throat felt dry. \"No.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t a lie. I hadn’t known he would say it like this. Out loud. In front of everyone. With no hesitation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zane spoke again. \"But she did propose the idea.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Every head snapped back to him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What?\" Ivy said softly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lucas’s head whipped toward me. \"Elaine.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My pulse was loud in my ears. I stood slowly, my legs steady even though my chest felt tight. \"I did propose to him marrying me, in place of ivy\" I said carefully.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zane tilted his head slightly. \"You agreed to marry me.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That was to protect Ivy,\" I shot back. \"You knew that.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"And this protects her,\" he replied evenly. \"More than pretending I ever intended to marry her in the first place.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ivy looked between us, confused and pale. \"Elaine?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I reached for her hand without looking. \"It’s okay,\" I said quietly. \"I promise.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lucas laughed once, sharp and humorless. \"This is unbelievable.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Is it?\" Zane asked. \"Or is it just inconvenient?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lucas lunged forward again. This time Noah and Caleb both grabbed him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Let go of me,\" Lucas snapped.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Not a chance,\" Caleb said. \"You punch him and Grandpa will have a stroke.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My grandfather slammed his cane against the floor. \"Enough.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The room stilled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He looked at Zane. \"You came here knowing this would cause chaos.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yes,\" Zane said. \"I came here knowing it would.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"And you believe this is acceptable?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I believe it’s necessary.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My grandfather’s gaze returned to me. \"Elaine,\" he said again, softer now. \"Is this what you want?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Every instinct in my body screamed no.\u003C\u002Fp>",592,"2026-06-06T09:39:37.139Z",1,"novelbin.me","250a3144cdfacdb3de1330173902e1550550df6f553ae9762e8c215205cedb58","bound-to-my-enemy-chapter-21","bound-to-my-enemy-chapter-19",266,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fbound-to-my-enemy-cover.jpg"]