The Swordswoman's Revenge Story after Rebirth

THE SWOTUSWoman’s Revenge Story after Rebirth

Chapter 402 A Lesson for Ashley

+8 Pearls

The attendants had given her some water, but before long, it had turned icy cold. Ashley’s legs began to tingle with numbness, and she had no choice but to stand and pace back and forth in the hall.

Finally, she heard voices outside. “The Empress has arrived.”

She quickly moved to the side, standing with her hands clasped in front of her, trying to suppress the anger bubbling in her chest:

Sophia entered with Rowena, and Ashley curtsied. “I greet Your Majesty, the Empress.”

Sophia glanced at her but didn’t acknowledge her greeting. She walked straight past Ashley, sitting down before calmly saying, “No need for formalities.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty,” Ashley said, and without waiting, she stepped back and sat down.

Barely had her bottom touched the chair when Rowena’s sharp voice rang out. “Ashley, the Empress did not grant you permission to sit.”

Ashley’s eyes flashed with anger, but she bit it back, standing again. “I apologize, Your Majesty, for my disrespect.”

Sophia wasted no time. “This isn’t the first time you’ve acted disrespectfully, is it?” she said, her tone icy. “I heard today that you were discussing court matters in front of the King. You know the rule–no interference from the harem in state affairs. Are you aware of this rule?”

Ashley tried to defend herself. “The King asked me, and I simply answered.”

Sophia scoffed. “If the King asks you, your answer should be, ‘I am foolish and know nothing.”

Ashley, feeling cornered, retorted, “You speak of the harem not meddling in politics, but surely, that’s not entirely true, is it? Isn’t Victoria part of the harem?”

Sophia’s lips twisted into a cold smile. “Ashley, who told you that Victoria is just a member of the harem?”

“Is she not?”

dare think you can compare yourself

flared, but she held it back.

a matter of words today. You’ve shown disrespect, acted out of turn, and forgotten your place. Since you’re new to the palace, I’ll be lenient. Consider this a

a beat. “I do not

grew colder as she looked at her. “What does it matter whether you accept it or not? In this harem, whether you accept what I say means nothing. You think there’s always a way to bend me

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402 A Lesson for

+8 Pearls

eyes sharp. “I’m not going too far, Ashley. I’m going exactly as

the mistake she had made. Every step

she entered the palace, she had been on the wrong path. First, she had been deceived by Oliver–she had no doubt

Hanson family and Layla. Thankfully, the King didn’t know she had been involved with Arthur’s schemes, or her position in the

palace believing she could control everything. She thought the women in the harem were short–sighted, and she could easily step

now she realized how naive that was. She hadn’t even come close to

mistake,” she said, lowering her head.

raised her hand dismissively. “Good. Now

the seething humiliation inside,

she stepped out of Sophia’s palace, she gritted

something that’s easy to find

“Useless,” Ashley snapped.

has already been taken away. If you anger the Empress again, it might not

true. In the palace, nothing

her options shrinking. Today, it was likely that

won’t act yourself, but you send Sophia

In this palace, the only one who could rival Victoria’s power was

right now, she desperately needed

finally see

calm down and stay low

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