It's Your Turn To Cry and Beg, Dear Uncle
Chapter 60: Confrontation

Chapter 60: Confrontation

"So, it really is you, Kyra!" exclaimed Gladys, catching the attention of three other girls, including Hazel.

Kyra pressed her lips together and gave a slight nod in greeting. "Hello."

"It’s been a long time since we last met. Who are you here with?" asked Gladys, her eyes darting around. Kyra knew exactly who Gladys was looking for.

"With a friend," Kyra replied curtly.

Meanwhile, Hazel was busy eyeing Kyra’s outfit. Her gaze shamelessly scanned Kyra from head to toe, making her uncomfortable. Especially when Hazel looked like she was about to laugh afterward. Kyra tightened her grip on the phone in her hand.

Then, one of the two unfamiliar girls stepped forward. She was tall, taller than Kyra, with a model-like figure and an undeniable aura of elegance. Her dark brown curls cascaded past her chest, framing her petite face perfectly. Even Kyra, as a fellow woman, couldn’t help but be captivated.

"Are you the girl from the Synders family?" the woman in front of her asked. Her voice was soft, laced with a certain charm befitting a mature woman.

Her bright green eyes gazed down at Kyra. Though there was no apparent malice—likely because Kyra was seated while the woman stood—Kyra couldn’t shake the feeling of inferiority. It was as if a beggar were facing a wealthy heiress. This unsettling thought that made Kyra furrow her brows.

She tried to shake off the negative thoughts, knowing it was her own lack of confidence at play. She often felt rather self-conscious compared to others.

"Yes," Kyra replied, attempting a smile even though she still felt awkward around the stranger. "Sorry, who are you?"

The green-eyed woman smiled and, without hesitation, sat beside Kyra. "Hi, my name is Mia Parks. My mother is Diane Parks, a friend of your aunt Cressida. I’ve seen your photo before when your aunt showed off pictures of her nephew, so I recognized you at first glance. Nice to meet you."

She immediately extended her hand warmly. However, Kyra froze the moment she heard about her aunt showing off pictures of her nephew. There was only one person Cressida would always boast about at her socialite gatherings, hoping to match him with the daughters of her upper-class friends.

Who else but James? And since James didn’t like being photographed as he got older, most of the photos included Kyra. It wasn’t surprising that Mia recognized her.

Yet, instead of feeling at ease, Mia’s friendliness made Kyra feel suffocated. She wasn’t naive. Just a brief interaction, and she could already tell that Mia Parks had the same intentions as her former college peers, albeit using a subtler approach.

Kyra understood that women of high society would never openly display interest in a man—it would risk making them appear vulgar or aggressive. Mia probably had no intention of befriending her just like any other women previously.

She would likely view Kyra as nothing more than a stepping stone to get closer to James. Still, Kyra had to maintain her composure in public. So, she reluctantly shook Mia’s hand.

"Nice to meet you," Kyra replied with, yet again, a forced smile. At the same time, Valeria emerged from the fitting room. Her best friend, who was immensely excited, came running toward her.

"Kyra, look..."

But the rest of her sentence got caught in her throat as soon as she saw the group of women, recognizing Hazel and Gladys among them. Her mood instantly soured, and she couldn’t even maintain the smile on her face. Her expression shifted 180 degrees.

"Wow, your friendship is still going strong, huh," commented Gladys sweetly from the side, maintaining her flawless demeanor.

Unlike Gladys, who always preserved her image, Hazel didn’t hesitate to sneer. "Well, it’s not surprising their friendship lasts. The poor one clings tightly to the rich one, while the stiff one holds onto the poor one to avoid ending up alone. This mutualistic symbiosis will surely thrive as long as the host remains strong."

As soon as Hazel finished speaking, her cousin beside her burst into laughter. Meanwhile, Gladys was ever so reserved despite looking like she was holding back her laughter.

"Hazel, what are you talking about? Don’t tell me you’re making fun of our friends!"

Hazel snorted. "Who said I’m mocking anyone? I’m just describing a certain friendship. Did I mention Kyra or Valeria? I don’t think so. Did I say their names, Evelyn?"

She turned to her cousin, and Evelyn cooperatively shook her head.

"See? Evelyn is my witness."

Kyra pressed her lips together. Valeria’s expression shifted. In the past, she might not have been courageous enough, but now things were different. She had her own career and independence.

She was no longer under the shadow of her family, where her father worked for Hazel’s company. Moreover, they weren’t on campus anymore.

Additionally, with only the six of them present, Kyra no longer had to worry about causing trouble for her family. This gave Valeria the freedom to speak her mind.

"Hazel is right. I also wouldn’t be surprised if the flat-chested one clings tightly to the big-breasted one to balance out what they lack. And as for the two-faced one, they need to keep the shameless one around as a spokesperson so they can stay in the good graces of others."

Now it was Kyra’s turn to burst into laughter. She quickly covered her mouth to stifle the sound. Valeria, on the other hand, smiled sweetly as she watched the expressions of the two women in front of her change drastically.

If the other party couldn’t watch their mouths, they shouldn’t expect her to hold back her sharp tongue either. Unlike those from the elite class, Valeria didn’t feel the need to protect her image so carefully. She could say whatever she wanted!

Gladys couldn’t maintain her perfect smile after Valeria’s comment. Back in college, there was a reason why Gladys was famous. Yes, she came from a wealthy family where most of her family members were beauticians. Yes, she was beautiful, smart, and seemingly kind.

But behind that, there was one thing that made her infamous—a topic often whispered among male students. The gossip revolved around her large breasts, which contrasted sharply with her sweet, good-girl image. As a result, dirty jokes on campus frequently involved Gladys, making this her sore spot.

Meanwhile, Hazel, as Gladys’s best friend, wasn’t spared from similar gossip either. Among the male students, she was nicknamed "the washboard" due to her flat chest.

The jokes went that even a washboard had more texture, while she was completely smooth. The female students even joked that Hazel stayed close to Gladys so that in the future, when she got married, she could borrow her friend’s chest on her wedding night.

Both Gladys and Hazel eventually caught wind of these rumors, but there wasn’t much they could do. The male students talked behind their backs, and without catching them red-handed, there was no way to confront them.

Reporting it to the school or their families required evidence. In the end, they graduated without being able to retaliate against the gossip mongers. They could only swallow their resentment.

But now, Valeria openly attacked them. How could they not be furious? It felt like boiling lava was churning in their stomachs, ready to erupt.

Hazel, who was hot-headed by nature, couldn’t hold herself back and marched toward Valeria with her hand raised, pouring all her strength into it. However, Valeria swiftly caught her hand before she could strike.

"What?" Valeria glared at her defiantly. "You want to slap me? Dream on!"

"Let go!" Hazel shouted, but Valeria only tightened her grip on Hazel’s wrist, causing her to wince in pain. "You low-class woman! Let go!"

But just as Hazel uttered those words, a hard slap landed on her cheek. It was so forceful and merciless that she stumbled to the ground. Everyone in the store froze in shock. Holding her hot and stinging cheek, Hazel looked up at Kyra, who was towering over her.

"You slapped me?" Hazel asked in disbelief.

"Yes, because your mouth clearly needs some discipline. Why? Can’t take it?" Kyra replied coldly, her gaze condescending and arrogant—a stark contrast to her once-shy demeanor.

Hazel was stunned.

Realizing what had just happened, Gladys immediately reprimanded Kyra. "Kyra, what are you doing? We greeted you nicely, and yet you slapped Hazel?"

Kyra scoffed. "Are you deaf? Didn’t I just explain why? Besides, wasn’t Hazel the one who tried to slap my friend first?"

Gladys bit her lower lip. For some reason, Kyra’s newfound boldness made her uneasy. It meant Kyra had become aware of her family’s power. In the past, Gladys had often mocked Kyra inwardly, thinking she was as clueless as a sheltered princess who didn’t know how to wield her influence.

But Gladys had no idea that Kyra’s silence all this time wasn’t due to ignorance. It was her effort to avoid unnecessary conflicts that might trouble James and the Synders family.

Kyra had always been mindful of her position as an adopted daughter and worked hard not to tarnish their name. She had tried her best to be a model child, partly out of respect and partly because she wanted to become a woman whom James liked at that time. There was no way she would pick a fight with Gladys and Hazel back then.

"Hazel acted that way because Valeria went too far! It’s only natural she got angry!" Gladys retorted shamelessly, making even Valeria boil with anger.

"So, you think it’s okay for Hazel to slap Valeria for speaking rudely, but not the other way around?" Kyra let out a sarcastic laugh and clapped her hands mockingly. "Your logic is brilliant. I’m honestly baffled how you managed to graduate from college."

Valeria joined in with a laugh. "Hey, why are you even upset? Nobody here mentioned you. Did I say Hazel or Gladys? I don’t think so. Did I mention them, Kyra?"

Kyra shook her head cooperatively. "No, you didn’t."

"See? Kyra’s my witness."

It was a brutal slap in the face for Hazel and Gladys. They weren’t stupid; they realized Kyra and Valeria were mimicking their earlier behavior. Hazel gritted her teeth in frustration, while Gladys appeared as though Kyra and Valeria had deeply wronged her.

Meanwhile, Mia Parks merely watched the scene unfold with a cynical gaze at the sideline. She found the women before her utterly lacking in class, creating such a commotion in public. That’s why she hadn’t intervened, even though Gladys was a distant relative. After all, the standing of Mia’s family was worlds apart from Gladys’.

"Do you think we’re stupid? It’s obvious you were mocking us!" Hazel, now back on her feet, continued to protest indignantly.

"And what about you? Do you think we’re stupid? It’s obvious you insulted us earlier!" Valeria shot back just as fiercely.

"You—"

Before Hazel could finish her sentence, a commanding male voice interrupted her.

"Kyra!"

The women all turned toward the source of the voice, only to see James and Orlando walking toward them.

At that moment, Mia Parks’ eyes sparkled with delight and so did Gladys.