"Kahlan Cypher, get off Phony now!" Mr Cypher's voice sliced through the air, sharp and desperate.
Kahlan was perched atop Phony, yanking her hair and delivering sharp slaps to her delicate, pretty face. Phony, sprawled on the garden floor, let out piercing shrieks like a wounded shrew.
What kind of fallacy was this?
Was this still the prestigious Cypher family or a market.
Madam Cypher could barely stand the sight; her nerves teetered on the edge of a breakdown. A malicious glint flickered in her eyes, dark and dangerous.
The two were so entangled in their fight before now and it seemed Kahlan had the upper hand.
Phony's clothes were so messy and in disarray, her face puffing all red like a tomato from all the slaps.
Kahlan, sensing her stepmother's chilling shift, leapt off Phony in a panic. Though she feared her father the most, she didn't dare underestimate her stepmother's anger.
Mr. Cypher stormed toward her, his face twisted with fury, and delivered a stinging slap across her cheek.
"Are you out of your mind?!" he roared. "How dare you, you brat!"
He stared at the familiar face of Kahlan, she looked so much like that woman but he hated both of them.
They were his shame!
---
"Phony, are you okay?" Madam Cypher rushed to her daughter's side, helping her up from the ground.
She quickly masked the murderous intent that had briefly contorted her face, replacing it with a look of anguished concern. Her eyes, now brimming with tears, locked onto Kahlan, radiating disappointment and pain, as if she were struggling to mediate the chaos.
Her words awakened Mr Cypher and he hissed in annoyance.
This Kahlan and her mother were just bag of troubles!
Every gaze in the room fixed on Kahlan, who stood speechless, her head bowed, her cheek burning red, and her expression heavy with sorrow.
"She insulted Mom!" Kahlan cried, her voice breaking. "She said Mom is a slut!"
"No, I didn't!" Phony shot back, her tone indignant. "Mom, she's lying!"
"Then why did you come here?" Kahlan choked out, her voice trembling with frustration.
---
Phony hesitated, her face conflicted, as if wrestling with a painful truth. "I... I came because I wanted you to stay away from that man," she said, her words heavy with reluctance, as though she had no choice but to reveal it.
"Man?" The word hung in the air, and the room's atmosphere shifted. Everyone's gazes turned cold, laced with disgust.
"What man?!" Kahlan's voice rose in desperation. "Father, it's not true! I'm telling the truth—I'm not seeing anybody!"
She scrambled to defend herself, but doubt clouded the faces around her. Who would believe a rough-around-the-edges hillbilly over Phony, the third most celebrated socialite, renowned for her grace and talents?
She had lived long with Madam Cypher and her kids to know that Phony was up to no good.
"Shut up!" Mr. Cypher bellowed, his hands twitching as if he wanted to strangle his disgraceful daughter. How could he face his business partners now?
He didn't care if Phony was lying not
This child was a walking humiliation, stripping away his dignity with every outburst.
---
"Elder sister, I'm sorry," Phony said, her voice soft as large tears streamed down her cheeks. "But I have to do this. You're in love, so you don't understand. I have to tell Father so he can help you. You need to realize that that man is not good for you."
Her words dripped with such sincerity that, had Kahlan not known there was no man at all, she might have believed her sister's performance.
Oh wow! What a white lotus!
Look, even the crowd has been stunned silly by the level of magnanimity
Mr. Cypher could no longer endure the humiliation. The curious, judgmental gazes of his guests bore into him like daggers. Gripping Kahlan's arm tightly, he leaned in and hissed coldly in a low voice, "You… come with me."
With a rough tug, he dragged her away from the stunned crowd.
---
The Cypher family had long been revered as a pillar of prestige and respectability, one of the top five families in their elite circle. Mr. Cypher had always basked in the envious glances of his peers, proud of his polished children.
But when the old Master brought Kahlan to the family estate after her grandmother's death, the shameful secret of his illegitimate daughter—buried for eighteen years—was laid bare. Worse, her unrefined upbringing in a remote village grated on his nerves, a constant reminder of his disgrace.
"Sorry, everyone, but this party has come to an end. Thank you all for attending," Madam Cypher's gentle, honeyed voice echoed through the garden, soothing the guests' rattled nerves.
---
They couldn't help but admire this poised, elegant woman—so refined, unlike that wild shrew, Kahlan. Many marveled at how she maintained her composure in such a scandalous situation.
"It's a pleasure, Madam Cypher," a man called out, his tone respectful.
She offered a kind but weary smile before gliding away with Phony at her side.
Once they were a safe distance from prying eyes, Madam Cypher's facade shattered. Her face twisted with malice, venom dancing in her eyes. If anyone had witnessed this transformation, their jaws would have dropped in shock.
With a sharp hiss that sent shivers down Phony's spine, she snapped, "What is going on, Phony?"
---
In a flash of rage, she kicked a flowerpot, sending it crashing to the ground. Whirling to face her daughter, she continued, "I've always told you to act gentle, yet you got caught up in a fight with that little slut!"
"But, Mom, I had to teach her a lesson for ruining my party," Phony protested, her voice tinged with defiance.
Madam Cypher's expression softened, but her tone carried a mild rebuke. "I told you we'd deal with her together. Why didn't you listen to me? Look at your face—that thing had the audacity to touch you."
Phony's demeanor shifted, her eyes glinting with cold resolve. "Let's just kill that dirty pig. I can't stand her," she said, her voice icy.
---
"No, darling," Madam Cypher replied, her lips curling into a sinister smile. "Killing her would be too kind. Let's stick with the story about the man you mentioned. That alone will ruin her reputation."
Her eyes gleamed with malevolent delight. A shrill burst of laughter erupted from Phony.
"Mom, that girl is so stupid!" she said between giggles. "I have pictures of a filthy beggar I paid to assault that fool. She managed to escape, but I still got some scandalous photos of them. I've kept them."
Madam Cypher's lips twisted into a wicked grin. "Good girl," she purred, patting Phony's head affectionately.
---
Her gaze shifted to her most trusted maid, Sara, who stood nearby. "Find the maid who announced the fight earlier," she ordered, her voice low and dangerous. "I need to put her to good use."
"Yes, Madam," Sara replied, hurrying off without hesitation.
"Get me those photos, honey," Madam Cypher said, her smile dripping with malice. "The show is about to begin."
"Yes, Mom," Phony agreed, her eyes sparkling with cruel anticipation.
---
In Mr. Cypher's study, an old man in his late seventies sat on a plush couch, his weathered face etched with a complex expression. Golden light from the ornate ceiling fixture cast a warm glow on his features, revealing a rugged handsomeness that hinted at his charm in younger days. His presence exuded a stern, unyielding aura, commanding respect and fear in equal measure.
"What did you say? Kahlan did what now?" the old man demanded, his voice sharp.
Mr. Cypher couldn't help but shiver; even now, he feared his formidable father. *Why won't he just die already?* he thought bitterly. "Dad, she beat Phony up in front of the guests," he said, his tone grave as he met his father's cold, piercing eyes.
---
"So what if she beat up that little monkey who's always jumping around me?" the old man spat, his words dripping with disdain. "I've always wanted to shut that big mouth of hers myself."
"Dad, she's your granddaughter!" Mr. Cypher snapped, his anger flaring.
"What granddaughter? Who's my granddaughter?" the old man retorted, his face twisting as if he'd tasted something bitter and vile. "I told you I'd never accept any child born from that evil womb. Even talking about her irritates me."
"Dad, how can you say such a thing?" Mr. Cypher fumed. "Mima has always been there for this family, even when I let her down by getting involved with that woman years ago. She never left."
---
"Hah!" the old man scoffed, clutching his chest dramatically. "I'm about to have a heart attack! I can't believe I raised a fool like you. When you needed her most, where was she? When you fell ill and had to be sent to that wretched village, she made some flimsy excuse about studying abroad with her children."
His face contorted as if he'd swallowed a fly. "You… you're utterly useless," he said, jabbing a trembling finger at his son.
"By the way," he continued, his tone shifting to one of sharp clarity, "knowing Kahlan's personality, she wouldn't hit your daughter without a reason, you fool."
---
"Yes, Dad… haha, yes! You're right, there's a reason," Mr. Cypher said, seizing the opportunity. "I'll tell you—this disgraceful child is planning to elope with a man. Phony found out, so that little devil beat her up to silence her. She even threatened her! Father, I know you're protective of Kahlan, but she's my daughter, and I must discipline her."
"Father…" Kahlan's voice broke through, trembling with sobs. "I don't know what Phony is talking about. There's really no man. Grandpa, it's not true!"
She stood helplessly, tears streaming down her face, her heart heavy with injustice. *What did I do wrong?* she thought. *I only wanted to defend Mother.*
---