"No," Alexandra corrected softly, looking at the fine lines of age she had chosen to leave visible. "It looks like it survived."

She packed her brushes, ready for the next forgotten thing. Alexandra Belle knew that true beauty wasn't perfection—it was being seen for exactly what you were, even after the world tried to paint over you.

This was the "Belle Method"—patience over power. While other restorers rushed to show results, Alexandra listened to the paint. She spent weeks removing layers of "fixes" added by well-meaning amateurs who had tried to hide the painting's scars.