All Chapters of The Erotic Painting's Heroine Strikes Back: Chapter 1 - Chapter 8

"Charlotte, you've gone too far. Where's your dignity?"I looked my mother in the eye. "You've spent years raising my cousin to be a proper lady, Mom. Shouldn't she be the one with dignity? So why is she the one taking what belongs to me? Isn't that what you'd call bad manners, Mom?"She started to snap back, but Yvonne caught her arm and gave her a quick look. My mother swallowed her anger, let out a sharp huff, and turned her head away.All the young women entering the palace today had been personally selected by the queen, daughters of the finest families in the land. Yvonne was the exception. Her invitation had been arranged by my mother, who'd used my father's name and connections to beg the favor of including her in the bride selection.Once we were inside the palace, the queen invited everyone to walk freely through the gardens. The other girls spread out in small groups, laughing and chatting. I slipped away on my own.Relying on memories from my past life, I headed toward

Every girl in the hall turned toward the doors.Benjamin walked in from outside, and the entire room dropped into a low bow or curtsy."Greetings, Your Highness."I was still on the floor, tears running freely down my face, looking utterly heartbroken.Benjamin reached down and helped me to my feet. He sighed and turned to address the room."I was attacked in the back garden a short while ago. Ms. Young threw herself in front of the threat to protect me, and the burns on her waist are the result of that. She saved my life."He stepped aside and nodded toward the woman behind him. "I had a court physician treat and bandage her wounds. She can tell you herself what she saw."The lady physician bowed, her voice clear and steady. "When I treated Ms. Young, there was no birthmark of any kind on her waist."Yvonne's eyes went wide. "That's impossible. She's lying. Charlotte must have bribed her."Benjamin's expression cooled. "She's a palace physician in royal service. Are you sayin

The door to my bedroom was shut. The women crowded outside, and through the wood they could hear sounds coming from within that made every face in the corridor go red.My mother clenched her teeth. "In broad daylight. An absolute disgrace to this family."She drew herself up. "That wretched girl. I won't let this go unpunished. I'll strangle her myself."She pointed at the servants. "Break the door down."One of the manservants kicked it open. Inside, a man and a woman were entangled on the bed, their clothes completely removed.Some people immediately covered their faces, unable to look any longer. The more timid young ladies even let out frightened screams.My mother flew into a rage. "Charlotte Young! You have some nerve—how dare you commit such indecent, shameless acts! "Drag her out here. I'll kill her myself!""Who exactly are you dragging out, Mom?"The people in front of me spun around. I was standing at the back of the crowd, stretching on my toes to peer over their

"She told me that once I finished the paintings, I should take them to the bookshop to sell, and she'd reward me well. I'm just a painter. I paint what people pay me to paint. I didn't know what any of it was for, I swear it."The moment he'd been brought in, my mother had started backing away, her face drained of color. Her lips were moving, barely making a sound. "No, it wasn't me. I didn't do this. My lord, he's lying!"The painter reached into his money pouch and pulled out a banknote and a hairpin, holding both above his head. "My lord, I never spent the silver. And she gave me this pin as part of the payment. It can prove everything."I recognized that hairpin immediately. It was a rose pin, one my mother had worn for years. Now, it was sitting in a painter's outstretched hands.My mother sank into the nearest chair and sat there, unable to utter a single word.My father looked at her with pure disgust. He walked to the writing table, picked up the quill, and wrote without