Bound to my Enemy-Chapter 167.

"That’s the problem with you, Zane."

Her voice loses some of its teasing edge and it becomes more serious now.

"She deserves to know the truth."

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.

"Claire," he says.

Just her name but the warning inside it is clear.

She hears it but instead of backing down, her mouth curves slowly into a taunting smile.

"Oh relax," she says lightly, waving her hand like he’s being dramatic.

"I’m not here to burn your house down... or to destroy your lovely marriage."

Zane doesn’t respond as the silence presses harder against the room.

Claire sighs, leaning back in the chair again like she has all the time in the world.

"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."

My stomach tightens.

"Tell me what?" I ask quietly.

Neither of them answers mi as Claire looks at Zane again.

Her eyes narrow slightly then his voice drops lower.

"Don’t."

Claire laughs, actually fucking laughs.

"Don’t what, baby?" she asks.

"You going to throw me out of your house?"

His jaw tightens.

"Say another word and find out."

Instead of looking scared, Claire leans forward on the table, hr chin rests lightly on her knuckles

"You know what I think?" she says.

Zane doesn’t answer.

"I think you’re scared."

"Yeah," she continues softly.

"That’s exactly what this is."

"Claire," Zane warns again.

But she’s already turning toward me, completely ignoring him now.

"Well," she says, like she’s about to share a piece of harmless gossip.

"If your husband won’t say it, I will have to be the hero and say it ."

My heart begins beating harder.

"Say what?" I ask.

Claire tilts her head slightly then...

"Your precious husband..."

She gestures toward Zane lazily.

"...is my boyfriend."

It takes my brain a second to catch up.

"What?"

Claire corrects herself immediately.

"Well," she adds, shrugging slightly, "ex-boyfriend now."

The room spins for half a second as I stand completely and utterly confused just staring at her.

Then I look at Zane.....He hasn’t said a word, not a single word.

My chest tightens.

"What the hell are you talking about?" I ask.

My voice sounds strange even to my own ears.

Claire studies my face like she’s measuring my reaction.

"Oh You didn’t know?" she asks lightly.

"You poor poor baby."

My head snaps toward Zane again.

"Zane."

Nothing, He still hasn’t spoken and that silence feels louder than anything Claire could say.

My stomach drops as Claire watches the moment settle over me, then she leans back again, folding her arms loosely.

"But wait wait...that’s not even the best part sweetheart," she says.

And I feel something cold slide down my spine.

"What do you mean ’that’s not the best part’?" I ask.

Claire’s eyes flick toward Zane again and he looks like he’s barely holding his temper together.

But he still doesn’t stop her.

"Do you remember the first time we met?" she asks.

The question throws me and my brows pull together.

"What?"

"The first time we met," she repeats patiently.

"On the first day of school....."

"Oh yeah," she murmurs.

"I remember it perfectly."

My stomach twists.

"Why are you talking about that?"

Claire shakes her head slowly, amusement dancing in her eyes.

"Because it’s funny."

"Funny how?"

She tilts her head again, like she can’t believe I still haven’t figured it out.

Then she gestures lazily toward Zane.

"Him."

"What about him?"

Claire smiles.

"He was the one who sent me to you."

The room goes still.

I blink.

"I’m sorry... what?"

Claire doesn’t hesitate.

"He put me up to it," she says calmly.

"The day we met?"

She nods once.

"Yep."

My eyes snap to Zane but hs face is unreadable.

But he still hasn’t denied it as Claire watches me absorb the words.

Then she chuckles again.

"I remember it clearly," she says.

"Because Zane was the one who put me up to it."

For a few seconds after Claire’s last words, no one speaks.

My mind is still trying to process what she just said.

Zane sent her, Zane sent her to meet me.

My eyes slowly move to him, he’s just standing there with that same unreadable look on his face.

"You really didn’t know," she says quietly

My throat feels dry.

"What exactly are you saying?"

Claire exhales slowly, rubbing both hands over her face like she’s trying to steady herself before speaking again.

When she looks up at me this time, the calm mask she had earlier is starting to crack.

"You and I didn’t meet by accident, Elaine."

The words land heavily.

"We became friends because Zane wanted us to."

My brows pull together.

"That doesn’t even make any sense."

Claire laughs under her breath, but there’s no humor in it.

"It made perfect sense to him."

My chest tightens.

"What do you mean?"

Claire pushes her chair back slightly and stands up from the table.

The movement is restless, like she suddenly can’t sit still anymore.

"We’ve been friends since high school," she says.

Her voice is uneven now.

"You trusted me."

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

"You talked to me about everything," she continues.

"Your family... your brothers... the business stuff you overheard at home... the arguments."

Her eyes flick toward Zane, then back to me.

"And Zane wanted to know it all."

"No."

Claire nods slowly.

"Yes."

I shake my head immediately.

"No. That’s fucking ridiculous."