
Don’t Grieve for Those You Hurt
Ladys · Completed · 6.7k Words
Introduction
Behind me was the freezing, raging river; in front of me were the people I loved most, now forcing me to die. Jennifer smirked, clutching the trophy that belonged to me. "I'll take good care of Ethan for you," she whispered. I looked at their faces—twisted, cruel, triumphant. I didn't jump to die; I jumped to be reborn. As the icy water filled my lungs, I made a pact with the devil. I will crawl back from hell, and I will drag you all down with me.
Chapter 1
The night the Oscar for Best Actress was awarded, my twin sister Jennifer Johnson took the stage in my place to accept the award. And there I stood below the stage, my face ruined by an accident, watching her take everything that should have been mine.
I rushed forward, trying to snatch the trophy from her hands.
But before I could get close to her, before my hand could even touch that shiny golden trophy.
My mother, standing beside Jennifer, quickly shielded her, and then several bodyguards swiftly restrained me.
"You've turned into a monster. If those fans saw you, they'd have nightmares."
"Besides, your sister has always been better than you. As an actress, she'll be more successful than you, too."
Jennifer walked up to me, her eyes smiling but without a trace of warmth.
"Stop scaring people from now on, okay?"
She whispered in my ear, in a voice only the two of us could hear.
"Dear Stella Johnson."
1
My mother Bianca Davis had the bodyguards throw me out of the venue.
She kicked me angrily, "You shameless bitch."
"How dare you disrupt your sister's award ceremony!"
I scrambled on the ground like a dog, gritting my teeth in protest, "It was MY award ceremony!"
"Why did you steal what's mine!"
Why!
Why, Mom, won't you even help me?
Bianca looked coldly at my face with disgust, "Look at yourself now, how ugly you've become."
"Those fans would be scared out of their minds if they saw you! Better to let Jennifer take your place."
"Besides, Jennifer has always been better than you. As an actress, she'll be more successful than you, too."
With that, she turned and left, rushing to comfort the frightened Jennifer.
And I covered my face and cried in the cold wind.
No.
I wouldn't let Jennifer steal my life. I wouldn't let her enjoy the fruits of my years of hard work.
My agency had already written me off as a lost cause and had long been working with Jennifer to stage this scam.
The media and the fans all thought I was mentally ill.
But there had to be one person in this world who would believe me.
And that was Ethan Brown.
My boyfriend of many years is also in the industry.
I called Ethan's private number many times, but he never answered.
Left with no choice, I had to wait for him outside his place.
It was early morning when Ethan finally drove home.
As soon as I saw him, I calmly explained who I was and everything that had happened.
I even revealed secrets that only a few people knew, to make him believe I was Stella.
"Your first leading role came from resources I got in exchange for appearing in Brandon Robinson's movie for free."
All these years, I'd been so good to him, feeding him resources without asking for anything in return.
That's how a nobody like him became a top celebrity so quickly.
But surprisingly, Ethan took a wary step back.
He pointed at my mask, saying impatiently, "Cover up better. Seeing your scary face makes my heart uncomfortable."
My expression froze instantly.
A woman's clear laughter rang out.
Jennifer slowly got out of the Porsche and winked at me playfully.
"Why are you scaring my boyfriend in the middle of the night?"
Ethan quickly took her hand, then said coldly to me, "Stop talking nonsense. I know exactly who my girlfriend Stella is."
Yes, he knew exactly.
But he still made the choice that benefited him most without hesitation.
Their intimate pose stabbed at my heart.
Jennifer snorted coldly, "I was going to let you go, but you keep popping up like a rat. It's disgusting."
She pulled out her phone to call Bianca, her words full of complaints about me.
Bianca quickly coaxed, "I'll be there with bodyguards right away to take Stella to the mental hospital. I won't let her get in your way!"
All color drained from my face. Without hesitation, I turned to run.
But it was useless.
Before I could even leave the complex, several cars stopped in front of me. Bianca got out with several strong bodyguards.
Jennifer and the others had clearly been prepared all along.
But I couldn't just give up. Once I ended up in a mental hospital, I'd never be able to turn my life around.
I took a deep breath and rushed toward the side gate of the complex.
But they chased after me relentlessly.
Until they cornered me by the dark riverbank.
All the bodyguards surrounded me, with only the wide river behind me.
Bianca frowned, her voice softening, "Stella, you almost drowned when you were little. You've always been afraid of water."
"Come here. I'm your mother. I won't force you to die."
"Just stay in the mental hospital with good food and care. Isn't that okay?"
I laughed coldly.
Why don't you give that good life to your precious Jennifer?
"Jennifer, remember this - I won't let you go even if I become a ghost!" I glared at her and turned to jump into the rushing river.
In that last glimpse, I only saw Bianca's shocked face and Jennifer's relieved expression.
I was dragged into a swirling current, sinking deeper and deeper.
The river water was freezing cold, numbing everything inside me.
In the last second before losing consciousness, I hazily saw someone swimming toward me.
He grabbed my waist, seeming to try hard to pull me to the surface.
Who was this person saving me?
I tried hard to open my eyes wide, but could only catch a glimpse of a familiar piece of clothing.
When I woke up again, I was on the shore.
The person who saved me had already left, but seemed to have given me emergency treatment.
I got up, clutching my wildly beating heart.
There wasn't a soul around; everything was completely silent.
My phone lay on the ground, emitting a dim glow.
It showed a text message from an unknown number.
"Go find Dr. Andrew Jackson. He's the best plastic surgeon in the country and can change your fate."
Below was a detailed address.
This was most likely a message from the mysterious person who had saved me.
But.
Could my fate really change?
Last Chapters
You Might Like 😍
Bound By Power, Torn By Love
She regards him as her only salvation, but he regards her as a pawn for revenge. When two enemies dance on the sharp knife, what will be the final outcome?
Avery and the Cursed Alpha
Then a mysterious billionaire offers her a deal that sounds too good to be true.
Alexander Ravenswood is powerful, wealthy, and feared throughout Tenebrous City. Behind his perfect public image lies a deadly secret. He is the Alpha of the Nocturne Pack, cursed by an ancient bloodline that is slowly driving him toward madness and death. His only hope lies in finding the legendary Aethon Orb—or the prophesied mate destined to save him.
When Alex discovers that Avery can draw symbols connected to the long-lost artifact, he offers her a contract she cannot refuse: become his fake fiancée for six months in exchange for enough money to erase her debts and save her home.
What begins as a business arrangement quickly becomes something far more dangerous.
As they search for the missing Orb, Avery is drawn into a hidden world of werewolves, ancient prophecies, and deadly pack rivalries. Powerful enemies want Alex's throne. A jealous Alpha heiress wants Avery gone. And a ruthless rival Alpha will stop at nothing to claim the Orb for himself.
But the greatest secret of all may be Avery herself.
Because the closer she gets to Alex, the more impossible truths begin to surface about her past, her strange abilities, and the destiny that has been waiting for her all along.
With a curse threatening Alex's life, enemies closing in from every side, and a forbidden bond growing stronger by the day, Avery must decide whether to walk away from the dangerous Alpha who needs her—or risk everything for a love written by fate itself.
In a city where secrets kill and destiny cannot be escaped, can a fake engagement become a love powerful enough to change the future?
What the Heart Wants (Book 1 of the Alpha Faros Series)
Not loving him will cost more.
Derek has one goal: survive high school without drawing too much attention or pissing off his pack’s alpha.
As the youngest son of the alpha, his life is governed by lycan hierarchy, tradition, and politics. With no signs of awakening a lycan spirit, his only value is what he can do for the pack’s image. He knows he’s only ever one misstep away from exile… or worse.
Then, he finds a boy trapped in a locker on orientation day, and everything changes.
Derek shouldn’t want Nikolias. He’s off-limits. A risk Derek can’t afford.
So why does it feel like he’s the only thing worth fighting for?
Nikolias has just lost everything: his parents, his home, and any sense of peace. Sent back to the town his family left years ago to live with his prejudiced and controlling uncle, who wants nothing to do with anything—or anyone—not human, he’s trying to do everything in his power to get out quickly.
But then he meets Derek again, and all of his plans vanish in the soft, yearning flecks of gold in Derek’s green-hazel eyes. He’s drawn to Derek in a way that’s impossible to deny, and he thinks Derek feels the same way, despite the danger their relationship holds for him.
As Moonshadow's politics turn deadly, Derek and Nikolai are caught in the crossfire of a war that had started long before they were born, and their bond becomes a threat and a lifeline that neither can afford to sever.
Because the heart wants what it wants….
And it never asks permission.
TW: Graphic Violence, Suicide Ideation, Suicide Attempt, Child Abuse, Cult-Like Behavior
Goddess Of The Underworld
When the veil between the Divine, the Living, and the Dead begins to crack, Envy is thrust beneath with a job she can’t drop: keep the worlds from bleeding together, shepherd the lost, and make ordinary into armour, breakfasts, bedtime, battle plans. Peace lasts exactly one lullaby. This is the story of an orphan pup who became a goddess by choosing her family; of four imperfect alphas learning how to be better. Steamy, fierce, and full of heart, Goddess of the Underworld is a reverse harem, found-family paranormal romance where love writes the rules and keeps three realms from falling apart.
Game of Destiny
When Finlay finds her, she is living among humans. He is smitten by the stubborn wolf that refuse to acknowledge his existence. She may not be his mate, but he wants her to be a part of his pack, latent wolf or not.
Amie cant resist the Alpha that comes into her life and drags her back into pack life. Not only does she find herself happier than she has been in a long time, her wolf finally comes to her. Finlay isn't her mate, but he becomes her best friend. Together with the other top wolves in the pack, they work to create the best and strongest pack.
When it's time for the pack games, the event that decides the packs rank for the coming ten year, Amie needs to face her old pack. When she sees the man that rejected her for the first time in ten years, everything she thought she knew is turned around. Amie and Finlay need to adapt to the new reality and find a way forward for their pack. But will the curve ball split them apart?
The Spy Who Left
"I still can't believe she actually did it. Aria Hart, filing for divorce. Who saw that coming?"
"How long do we think it'll take before she comes crawling back?" Another voice joins the conversation.
"Three days," Victoria declares. "Five at most. She has no money, no skills, no family. Where's she going to go?"
When Aria Chen divorced billionaire Leon Hart, New York's elite sneered, betting she'd crawl back within days. She never did.
Three years later, the world is rocked when Dr. Aria Vale, CEO of a revolutionary cybersecurity empire, steps into the spotlight. The mysterious genius who built a billion-dollar company from nothing is none other than Leon's discarded wife, the woman everyone thought was just a pretty ornament.
Now, every powerful man wants the queen Leon threw away a renowned scientist seeking partnership, a financial titan proposing an empire, and an actor offering devotion. Each sees the brilliance Leon ignored.
Then Leon discovers the truth: Aria's sacrifices, her secret double life, and the daughter she's been raising without him. For the first time, the man who once took her for granted must fight for her love. But can he compete with men who valued her from the beginning?
A story of love, betrayal, and power where the king must kneel before the queen who never needed saving.
The Contract Wife: Marriage Of Malice
He didn't finish. He didn't need to.
I didn't tell him to stop.
Instead, my fingers curled into his shirt, clutching the fabric as though it was my only anchor. Something in him snapped—something he had been holding back for too long. His mouth found mine in a kiss that wasn't tender, but hungry, desperate.
I gasped into him, his hand sliding up to cup my jaw, holding me as if afraid I might vanish.
"You drive me insane," he breathed against my mouth, his lips trailing to my throat. "I can't lose you, Ella. Not you."
My head fell back, a soft sound escaping me as his fingers memorized my waist. My anger melted beneath his desperation.
"James..." I whispered, more plea than protest.
His hand caught mine, fingers threading together tightly. "I'll bring him back. I swear it. Just... don't turn away from me. Please."
The word please—low, ragged, almost broken—undid me more than anything else could have.
Ella never imagined she would marry the man she had secretly loved for years in such a way.
When her brother Theo faced twenty-five years in prison for massive embezzlement, the ruthless business tycoon James Lancaster offered her a deal: marry him in exchange for her brother's freedom.
This wasn't a fairy tale proposal, but a carefully orchestrated revenge. Because in James's heart, Ella was the culprit who had killed his sister Cecilia. He wanted her to pay the price—to atone with a lifetime of suffering.
The Vampire Prince's Hybrid Bride
Mates: Regrets and Redemption
With my heart in pieces, I sought solace in the last place I expected—my Alpha's arms. One night turned into a dangerous entanglement, and now my Alpha refuses to let me go. As the Alpha’s obsession grows, I'm caught in a web of desire and fear.
Curtis, the boy I once loved, still holds a promise I made, but the Alpha’s powerful presence pulls me deeper into his world. Should I forgive Curtis and keep my word, or should I risk everything for a chance at something wild and unpredictable with the Alpha who won’t take no for an answer?
“There are no limits between us,” he chuckled, the mirth sparkling in his gorgeous eyes. “And all of this stems from the night you gave me both pain and pleasure. I’m simply returning the favor.”
He took two steps forward, and I stepped back. “But…” The memory of what I had done filled me with fear, and I knew I had to get out of there. “I…”
“No, Firecat.” He placed an index finger on my lips. “This will take your mind off that son of a bitch.” His strong hands pulled me by the waist until I felt his hard manhood.
Rise of the Banished She-Wolf
That roar stole my eighteenth birthday and shattered my world. My first shift should have been glory—blood turned blessing into shame. By dawn they'd branded me "cursed": cast out by my pack, abandoned by family, stripped of my nature. My father didn't defend me—he sent me to a forsaken island where wolfless outcasts were forged into weapons, forced to kill each other until only one could leave.
On that island I learned the darkest edges of humanity and how to bury terror in bone. Countless times I wanted to surrender—dive into the waves and never surface—but the accusing faces that haunted my dreams pushed me back toward something colder than survival: revenge. I escaped, and for three years I hid among humans, collecting secrets, learning to move like a shadow, sharpening patience into precision—becoming a blade.
Then, under a full moon, I touched a bleeding stranger—and my wolf returned with a violence that made me whole. Who was he? Why could he wake what I'd thought dead?
One thing I know: now is the time.
I have waited three years for this. I will make everyone who destroyed me pay—and take back everything that was stolen from me.
The Deadly Mafia Princess
Her gang take the matter in their own hands, to try to save their leader from the horror of her home. What none of them know, they wasn’t her real parents, and now Ro will be sent away to live with her real family. That makes her closest members in her gang pack up and move as well. They don’t want to be far away from their leader.
They'll Regret This
My fiancé didn't just dump me—he proposed to her that same night. My so-called family handed me bus fare and a one-way ticket to the countryside.
Perfect. Let them think they won.
They don't know who I really am. The anonymous genius surgeon who saves lives when elite hospitals give up. The legendary artist whose paintings sell for millions at auction. The undefeated shadow queen of the underground fighting circuit. And the true heiress to a fortune that makes theirs look like pocket change.
Now my ex-fiancé begs on his knees. My fake sister's jealousy is eating her alive. And that cold, arrogant CEO who once threw our engagement contract in my face? He's hunting me down like a man possessed, desperate for one more chance.
They threw me away like trash to upgrade their lives.
Joke's on them.
I was always the upgrade.












