Suddenly Reincarnated Into R-19 Novel

Love Under the Rose—an erotic novel my friend Lexie insisted I read. She's a fellow bookworm, but our tastes couldn't be more different. While I gravitate toward biographies of war heroes and their tales of survival, Lexie thrives on stories drenched in romance and scandal. Still, her enthusiasm was contagious, and she read parts of the book aloud to me. To my surprise, I found myself intrigued by the story's flow.

The novel revolves around Penelope, the female lead, and her entanglement with two men vying for her love: Duke Felix Don Baughette and Lukas Spear. The plot is heavily centered on this love triangle, with Penelope at its heart—a woman so stunningly beautiful that even the saints in the temple would pale in comparison. I had served someone like her once before in my life, a beauty so flawless it felt almost otherworldly.

Duke Felix Don Baughette is the male lead—a volatile, obsessive man described as both dangerous and deeply passionate. In the novel, he eventually wins Penelope's heart and body despite his dark nature. But for me, Felix isn't just a fictional character. He's the man who raped me. His short temper and lunacy made him terrifying in real life, even more so than in the pages of the book.

Then there's Lukas Spear, the second male lead. The author paints him as cunning and manipulative—a two-faced bastard who uses deception to get what he wants. I never liked him. He tricked Penelope into sleeping with him by pretending to be Felix, igniting a rage in the Duke that drove much of the story's conflict.

There was also Rafael, a minor character who stood out to me because he was one of the few men who genuinely cared for Penelope without ulterior motives. Sadly, his story ended halfway through the book when he was killed off. His death felt like a cruel reminder that sincerity rarely survives in a world ruled by obsession and deceit.

Despite my initial reluctance, I finished Love Under the Rose. The story concluded with a happy ending for Penelope and Felix, but my life took a tragic turn soon after. I died in an accident. When I woke up, I found myself inside the very world of this novel—a maid serving Penelope herself.

At first, I couldn't accept what had happened to me. How could I? It felt like some cruel joke from fate. But as time passed, I realized there was no escape from this strange reality. I resigned myself to playing my role as Henny, an insignificant extra in this twisted story.

One particular memory still haunts me: Felix standing over me before leaving me alone in the bathtub after one of his violent episodes. Every time I see him, I'm filled with self-loathing and despair.

"I wish I could turn back time," I whispered to myself one day as tears streamed down my face. "I wouldn't let Penelope die… none of this would've happened to me."

That day, I stayed locked inside my room, consumed by regret over my past choices. My body bore the marks of Felix's abuse—hickeys covering my skin from his actions the night before—and dark thoughts began to take hold of me.

Desperate to escape this nightmare, I snuck into Felix's laboratory where various poisons were stored. Lady Penelope had sent me there once before on an errand, so I knew where everything was kept. My eyes landed on a violet bottle—it looked dangerous enough to do the job.

"Enough," I thought bitterly as I reached for it.

"HENNY!" A voice thundered behind me. My heart stopped when I saw Felix standing there.

"Don't come any closer!" I screamed at him.

"No! Henny, please… I'm begging you—" His voice cracked with desperation, but I didn't let him finish. My mind was made up.

As soon as I drank from the bottle, searing pain tore through my chest. My vision blurred as darkness closed in around me.

"HENNY!!" His voice echoed faintly as my consciousness slipped away. The last thing I heard were his broken words: "I love you, Henny."

Everything went black.

When I opened my eyes again, gasping for air, light flooded my vision. Confused and disoriented, I turned to see Lady Penelope beside me—alive and well.

"Henny? Are you alright?" she asked gently.

Tears spilled down my cheeks uncontrollably as realization dawned on me: Did I time travel? Penelope looked younger than before—her features softer and untouched by tragedy.

"I'm okay… my lady," I managed to reply shakily.

A knock at the door interrupted us. "Lady Penelope," announced the butler from outside, "Lord Lukas wishes to meet you."

Penelope's expression darkened instantly. "Didn't I tell him to stop approaching me? Soon enough, I'll be marrying Felix," she muttered coldly before turning back to me with a reassuring smile. "Wait here, Henny—I'll be right back."

As she left the room, chills ran down my spine at her words: Marrying Felix? Glancing at my wrist absentmindedly, I noticed something strange—a number "2" etched onto my skin. What could it mean?

I hurried to a mirror to examine myself further. My complexion wasn't pale anymore; even the marks Felix had left on my neck were gone.

Determined now more than ever, I vowed silently: From now on, I'll protect Penelope at all costs—to protect myself as well.

Author's Note:

Let's reverse time…

This marked the beginning of everything—the day when fate chose me as Penelope's maid companion. Even now, two days later, it still feels surreal.

"Henny! Come here!" Lady Penelope called out cheerfully as she dragged me into the garden by hand. To my surprise (and unease), we weren't alone there.

"Lady Penelope," greeted Lord Lukas with a smile that didn't reach his eyes—it was laced with something darker beneath its surface.

"What are you doing here?" she asked sharply, irritation clear in her tone while I stood silently nearby.

Before long, Lukas turned his attention toward me instead. Leaning close enough for his breath to tickle my ear, he whispered: "What's your name?"

Startled by his sudden proximity, I stumbled backward into the grass.

"Have sex with me?" His words sent shockwaves through me as panic gripped my chest. No! Not this man! Memories from Love Under the Rose flooded back—Lukas often preyed on maids when his impatience for Penelope grew unbearable.

"I'm sorry, my lord," I stammered nervously. "Perhaps another maid can serve you—"

But before I could finish speaking, he grabbed me roughly and pinned me against a wall. My heart raced wildly as his hand moved toward my chest—but instinct kicked in first. Summoning all my strength, I kneed him hard where it hurt most before bolting away toward Penelope's side.

Breathless and shaken by what had just happened, one thought consumed me: What kind of twisted story have I been thrown into?