I am currently writing a story for fun and was looking for some advice on a scene. The scene involves two lovers having an exchange that goes something like this:
Character A smiles warmly. "You know, you're really a very kind person."
"Lies*." Character B immediately responds, voice deadpan. He flips a page from his book casually. "I save your life and here you are trying to ruin my reputation?" Despite his words, Character A could see his lips quirk a bit.
The exchange works as is, but I feel like there's a synonym for 'lies' that fits better. I tried Google but the closest I could find was 'slander' and although I could use that I was looking for something a bit more...harsh? A word that not only implies defamation but also that the idea goes against the natural order.
Thank you!