Stop Saying Regret Novel by Ana. C _ Novel





Stop Saying Regret Chapter 01

The day after Nina Powell’s brother, Isaac Powell, attended her lavish birthday party, scandalous photos of Paulina Larsen—the noble heiress of New York—flooded the internet.
Paulina swore it was Isaac who leaked them. She brought her people, shattered every bone in Isaac’s body, and tossed him into the ocean to feed the sharks.
Nina filed a lawsuit against the tyrannical Paulina, but it was immediately crushed—because the man pulling strings behind the scenes was Lloyd Foust, the most powerful kingpin in the city.
He was also Nina’s husband of six years, a man who had once loved her.
“Baby, your brother bullied Paulie first. He got what he deserved. Stop making trouble,” Lloyd said, siding with Paulina. He believed her story. But Nina didn’t.
Dressed in mourning black, Nina clung to Isaac’s photo and livestreamed for 99 days straight, stirring up public outrage. With the weight of public opinion behind her, she petitioned the court to release the yacht’s surveillance footage from that day.
Lloyd locked her in the basement for seven days straight, making sure she missed the court date.
When she was finally freed, Nina immediately prepared to file her third appeal.
That night, Lloyd dug up Isaac’s ashes, set them over the fire, and threatened Nina to sign the settlement.
He shoved her toward the flames, the urn teetering on its rack.
“Baby, you’ve pushed this slander against Paulie too far. Keep going, and your brother won’t have anything left.”
He tossed his expensive cigar carelessly to the floor, his long fingers tracing her chin with a gentle touch. His eyes were soft.
But every word he spoke cut like a knife, leaving her bleeding inside.
Nina stared at him, refusing to look away. “Why? Have you forgotten Isaac saved your life?”
During a disastrous international deal, Isaac had shielded Lloyd from 50 stab wounds, then spent three years in a coma.
Lloyd spent millions tracking down the culprit, tearing him apart piece by piece. He once said that anyone who hurt Isaac was his enemy.
But now, Lloyd’s patience had run out. “Paulie saved my life. Anyone who messes with her is my enemy—including you and Isaac.”
Nina bit her lip so hard she nearly drew blood. She couldn’t understand how things had come to this.
This was a man who had once loved her with everything he had.
Six years ago, if not for Lloyd, she would have died in a remote mountain town.
Her parents died when she was born, and Isaac raised her on his own.
To make ends meet, Isaac dropped out of school and moved to New York for work. Thanks to his imposing figure, he was hired as Lloyd’s bodyguard.
After taking the knife for Lloyd, Isaac begged him to bring his little sister to New York.
So Lloyd led a team deep into the impoverished mountains and met 18-year-old Nina—a girl so pure and beautiful that, for the first time, the hardened man felt his heart skip a beat.
He fell for her instantly and confessed his feelings right there.
Nina, shy and timid, didn’t dare respond.
Lloyd decided to bring her back and let their relationship grow. But then, the townsfolk came with knives to stop him.
Women were scarce in the mountains. Nina’s beauty had been coveted for years. They planned to use her in turns, then sell her for a hefty price.
The two groups fought for a whole day. Lloyd took 30 knife wounds but managed to rescue Nina, barely alive and still comforting her, “It’s okay, sweetheart. You’re safe now.”
That one gentle word was all it took—Nina was lost to him.
After Lloyd recovered, they got married.
He taught her how to use knives and guns, how to survive, how to have dignity and self-respect—slowly transforming her from a timid girl into a confident woman.
Lloyd gave her the best of everything. When it came to Nina, he was always there.
Nina loved New York. She thought she’d always be happy with Lloyd and Isaac.
But dreams are fragile.
Lloyd’s cold voice shattered her memories from above. “Stop stalling. Your brother doesn’t have time.”
Still, Nina clung to hope, wondering if Lloyd had any love left for her. “If I don’t sign, will you really burn Isaac’s ashes?”
Lloyd didn’t bother with a real answer, simply clicking his tongue in arrogant impatience.
“Baby, Paulie took a fatal knife for me. I promised her a year by my side. Didn’t I tell you? She’s my bottom line. Everyone has to accommodate her. Why do you insist on going against her?”
Paulina and Lloyd had grown up together—she’d chased after him for ten years. But he’d married Nina in a whirlwind, and Paulina hated Nina for it, having her kidnapped and tortured for ten days straight.
Nina would never forget the whips that lashed her skin, the toothpicks shoved under her nails, the steel needles piercing her flesh… Paulina even took away her first child.
For that, Lloyd broke ties with the Larsen family, using every trick to send Paulina to prison for three years.
Nina thought Paulina would vanish like the nightmares from the mountain town. But a year ago, Lloyd brought her back, declaring before all his men, “For the next year, Paulie will also be your boss. Her power will surpass everyone’s.”
He’d forgotten everything Paulina had done to Nina.
Nina sobbed, demanding answers, but Lloyd didn’t care. “Loyalty is everything in our world. I’m just repaying a debt, Baby. She won’t affect you.”
Nina fell silent, knowing she had no right to refuse. She could only wait for Lloyd’s debt to be repaid. Instead, she received news of Isaac’s death.
She swallowed her bitterness. “I’ll sign. Just let Isaac go.”
Lloyd patted her head. “That’s my good girl.”
He picked up the urn, and Nina sighed in relief, reaching out for it.
But in the next instant, Lloyd flicked his wrist—the ashes spilled into the fire.
“No—!”
Nina screamed in despair, lunging for the flames, but the bodyguards held her back.
Lloyd looked down at her, cold and merciless. “Baby, you crossed my line. This is your punishment.”
Nina glared at him through tear-filled eyes, her heart trembling with pain. “Lloyd, I’m leaving you…”
Just now, whatever love she had left for him burned away with Isaac’s ashes.
In that moment, Lloyd’s smile vanished, his expression turning terrifyingly cold. “You think you can leave? There’s a tracker implanted in you. Even if you run to the ends of the earth, I’ll find you.
“So just be good, won’t you?”
Nina shivered to her core.
He’d implanted the tracker to protect her from enemies. But now, it had become his weapon to hurt her without restraint.
After Lloyd left, Nina sat by the fire all night, clutching the ashes. At dawn, she dialed the only number Lloyd couldn’t monitor.
“Mr. Granholm, can you help me fake my death and escape?”
Leaving Lloyd alive was impossible. Faking her death and starting over was her only chance.
Marco Granholm didn’t hesitate. “Isaac did more for me than anyone. I’d risk my life to get you out!”
Once Lloyd’s right-hand man, Marco had split off for reasons unknown, building his own empire overseas.
With Marco’s help, her chances doubled.
“But Mrs. Foust, the tracker inside you is complicated. I’ll need a month to make a duplicate.”
As long as she could get away, Nina would wait—not just a month, but a year if she had to.

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