The Way I Hate Him

Why am I clutching a package of pilfered souvenirs that belonged to my ex-boyfriend's boss? It's known as... retaliation.

I returned to my hometown of Almond Bay to wallow in self-pity after failing my last semester of my master's program, all the while hearing my boyfriend reassure me that everything will work out. To my dismay, he welcomed me with a box to relocate my belongings rather than with open arms.

I'm not a small-minded person, but there's only so much of the higher path I can take after he told me he broke up with me because I was dull. That's why I stole the box of souvenirs from him.

The scheme? to get the ex fired and return it to his employer, who also happens to be my brother's enemy. Plans, however, seldom go out as planned since, rather of leaving the box with a message, Hayes Farrow himself accuses me of the murder.

And because my life is so pathetic, he gives me two options: turn me into the police and press full charges or . . . work it off. I detest this person, how could I possible work for them? Easy, my orange looks awful on me.

However, I'm not as miserable at Hayes as I had imagined. The hatred I felt for him starts to change into something more profound, something I never would have imagined feeling.

Regretfully, family conflict and old grudges still need to be resolved. And what happens when my brother finds out that I'm working for the guy he hates more than anyone else in the world? Will my hatred of him prevent me from seeing the love I really feel, or will I be able to follow my heart?