Bound by Hatred, Lost in Love — Novel

About

In a world where love and hatred are two sides of the same coin, Bridget Simmons emerges from prison with nothing but the ghost of a life once shared with Mason Henson. Once bound by a passion deep enough to carve into bone, their connection now simmers with resentment and unspoken words. Mason, a man transformed by guilt and ambition, offers Bridget a lifeline that feels more like a chain as he prepares to marry someone else. But the weight of their shared past lingers, threatening to tear them apart—or pull them back together.

When fate throws them together in Coral Bay after five long years, the air crackles with unresolved tension. As Bridget grapples with the haunting memories of her love for Mason, she's also faced with the bitter reality of his new life—one that seems to have moved on without her. With the specter of a woman named Melody looming over their fragile reunion, will Bridget find the courage to confront her feelings, or will the shadows of their history drive them further apart?

In a tale of lost opportunities and rekindled desires, Bridget must navigate the tumultuous waters of love, betrayal, and the haunting question: can two souls bound by hatred ever truly find their way back to each other?

Bound by Hatred, Lost in LoveChapter 1

I always thought Mason Henson and I should have been enemies, bound by a hatred carved into bone.

But instead, I loved him.

After I was released from prison, Mason looked after me, driven by guilt.

Until the day of his engagement, when he told me there was no road left for us. We both needed to start over.

Mason gave me a plane ticket and more money than I could count. He drove me to the airport himself, sending me away from the city I'd called home for years.

What he didn't know was that the plane was headed straight for death.

Five years later, when we crossed paths again in Coral Bay, I learned that Mason had spent every one of those five years searching for me.

……

The day I walked out of prison, the sky was clear and the sun burned red overhead.

Under that blinding light, my gaunt, colorless face looked even more worn than it was.

I could feel the man behind me. Still following.

I frowned and quickened my pace without thinking.

I walked for what felt like a long time before stopping in front of an old apartment building.

This used to be my home.

Too many memories lived inside these walls. Every single one of them hurt.