[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-bound-to-my-enemy":3,"chapter-bound-to-my-enemy-bound-to-my-enemy-chapter-24":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},1599962,2067,"Chapter 24.","bound-to-my-enemy-chapter-24",24,"\u003Cp>I was halfway through my second cup of coffee when my phone rang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I didn’t need to look at the screen to know who it was. No one in this family called this early unless something was wrong or about to be.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I answered anyway.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yes, Grandpa.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Come to the house,\" he said. No greeting, as usual. \"Today.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I sat back in my chair, already tired. \"Is this about the news this morning ?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Silence on the line for a second. Then, \"You’re needed here. Don’t be late.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The call ended.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I stared at my phone for a long moment before dropping it onto the table. My stomach felt hollow, like it always did after conversations with him. Short. Final and unavoidable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lucas was in the kitchen, leaning against the counter, arms crossed, watching me like he already knew.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"He called,\" he said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I nodded. \"I’m supposed to go over.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His jaw tightened. \"I’ll come with you.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You can’t,\" I said quietly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He scoffed. \"Watch me.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I turned to face him fully. \"You know how he is. This isn’t a discussion. He’s already decided whatever this is.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lucas dragged a hand down his face, pacing once across the kitchen. \"Elaine, you don’t have to do this. Whatever he’s planning with Zane...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I know.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"We can figure something out,\" he said, voice low, urgent. \"I’ll talk to him. I’ll talk to lawyers. I’ll sell whatever I need to sell.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I shook my head. \"You know that won’t work.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That doesn’t mean you just lay down and let him.....\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Lucas,\" I cut in. \"Stop.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He froze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I softened my voice. \"I’m not agreeing to anything yet. I’m just going to hear him out.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He looked at me like he didn’t believe a word I was saying. Maybe he didn’t. Maybe he knew better.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I don’t trust him,\" he said finally.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I don’t either.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"And I definitely don’t trust that fucker Zane.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the sound of his name, something sharp flickered across Lucas’s face. Anger, yes, but underneath it... something older. Something unresolved.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"This is his doing,\" Lucas muttered. \"He’s trying to get back at me.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"For what?\" I asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He stopped pacing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His shoulders went rigid. \"It doesn’t matter.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That answer told me everything and nothing at the same time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I’ll be fine,\" I said, even though I wasn’t sure I believed it. \"I can handle a conversation.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lucas looked at me like he wanted to argue, then like he wanted to say more. In the end, he just nodded once.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Call me when you get there,\" he said. \" when you leave and how it goes.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I will.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I grabbed my coat and keys and headed for the door.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Elaine,\" he called after me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I turned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If he pushes this marriage thing,\" Lucas said carefully, \"don’t say yes on the spot.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I met his eyes. \"I won’t.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was the best promise I could give.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And somehow, we both knew it will not be enough.\u003C\u002Fp>",494,"2026-06-06T09:39:37.139Z",1,"novelbin.me","2ba79b48d63936957e691b49fabfdfc66a9a070c813a1b8b838d07999e841c1d","bound-to-my-enemy-chapter-25","bound-to-my-enemy-chapter-23",266,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fbound-to-my-enemy-cover.jpg"]