Chapter 28: Words Are Weapons

    The system sighed dramatically, as if disappointed by her insistence. "Fine. Task initiated."@@@@

    Ding!

    A notification chimed, and the system continued

    "In a multitude of words, there is definitely one wrong one. Sometimes, it''s best to remain silent."

    A subtle pause followed before another chime echoed

    "150 good points deducted."

    Nnenna barely flinched at the loss of points. It was worth it. She glanced at Ebere, whose smug demeanor didn''t waver, completely unaware of the invisible strings now working on her.

    A small, satisfied smile tugged at Nnenna''s lips. ''You talk too much, Ebere,'' she thought inwardly, her composure remaining flawlessly serene.

    The others in the room noticed her slight change in expression but brushed it off, assuming it to be her natural reaction to her "sister''s" relentless chatter.

    Meanwhile, the mechanism she had just set in motion was already beginning to unfold.

    Barely a minute after Nnenna activated the system''s feature, Ebere, who had been speaking confidently and almost condescendingly, suddenly paused mid sentence.

    Her expression twisted into one of confusion, as if her mind was suddenly at odds with her mouth. She opened her lips to continue, but no words came out.

    Ebere stood there, stunned, her usual smug demeanor faltering. For some inexplicable reason, a strange, gnawing hesitation overtook her.

    Every time she tried to utter another scathing remark about her adopted sister, a sharp pang of discomfort gripped her chest. It wasn''t just emotional, it was psychological.

    Her hand moved subconsciously to her heart as if to soothe an invisible ache. ''What is this?'' she thought frantically.

    The atmosphere in the room grew heavier with each word, the weight of his disdain unmistakable. He took a step closer, sneering at Nnenna as though her mere presence offended him.

    "Now that we''ve done our duty, I think it''s time we leave," he said, waving dismissively at the others as if commanding their departure.

    "Honestly, you should just stay here as long as you can. The castle has been so much more beautiful since you left."

    The final blow came swiftly. "Your face," he said, his lips curling into a cruel smirk, "is nothing but an eyesore. No one misses it."

    Nnenna sat quietly, her expression unreadable as she watched Abuchi deliver his tirade.

    Despite his cruel words, there was a flicker of amusement in her eyes, but she remained composed, letting the silence stretch after his outburst.

    Abuchi''s smirk grew wider, mistaking her silence for defeat. But deep inside, he didn''t notice the shift in the room.

    His siblings exchanged uneasy glances, realizing he had done what they couldn''t do no matter how hard they tried.

    Queen Chioma''s lips curled into a smile of relief. Finally, someone was behaving as expected, someone who wasn''t swayed by whatever strange influence had swept over the others.

    To her, Abuchi''s sharp words restored a sense of normalcy, a reassurance that at least one of her children still held their disdain for this "attachment" they called a sister.

    Meanwhile, King Ikechukwu remained silent, observing everything unfold like a detached spectator. His expression betrayed no emotions, and it was clear he had no intentions of intervening, leaving the family drama to play out on its own.

    Abuchi''s cruel words hit Nnenna like a slap. They stung deeply, reigniting the fire of rebellion in her heart.

    Her fingers clenched the sheets as her initial reaction was to retaliate, but just as her emotions surged, the familiar chime of the Love System resonated in her mind.

    "Enough, Nnenna," the system cautioned, its tone sterner than ever before. "You have only 480 Good Points remaining. Choose your battles wisely. You cannot afford to squander them like this."

    The Love System spoke again, its voice firmer this time, as though trying to drill its point into Nnenna''s stubborn mind.