Rise of the Banished She-Wolf (Evelyn) novel Chapter 47

**Where Falling Leaves Whisper Stories Written In Silence by Ryn Jace Reed**

**Chapter 47**

Evelyn

The sun had barely risen the morning after my dinner with Devon, and the unsettling phone call regarding the shareholders’ meeting still lingered in my mind like a bad dream. As I stepped into the school, a wave of anxiety washed over me, tightening my chest.

However, as soon as I crossed the threshold, I felt something shift in the atmosphere. The glances directed my way were charged with an unfamiliar energy—smiles that seemed almost too bright, waves that felt overly enthusiastic. What had prompted such a sudden change in the way people perceived me?

The fluorescent lights above hummed softly, their sterile glow illuminating the polished floors. The usual murmur of chatter now felt oddly focused, as if the very walls were conspiring to whisper my name. My footsteps echoed louder than I remembered, each sound a reminder that I was no longer a shadow slipping unnoticed through the halls.

“Hey, Evelyn! That algorithm you coded last semester was brilliant. Could you maybe show me how you did it sometime?” a voice called out. It was someone from my programming class—someone who had never acknowledged my existence before. Suddenly, they were treating me like an old friend, as if we had shared countless laughs over coding assignments.

Before I could respond, another student approached, her enthusiasm palpable. “Evelyn! Congratulations on becoming club chair. I voted for you. I’ve always thought your coding skills were amazing.”

Was it really that simple? Just a title that transformed me from invisible to celebrated? It was astonishing how a little bit of power could shift perceptions so drastically.

I forced a smile, aware of the irony. Just a few days ago, this same girl had laughed along with Kate’s friends when I was accused of plagiarism. “Thanks,” I replied, my tone flat as I continued toward the courtyard where Lily was waiting for me.

Inside, my chest tightened with a conflicting mix of pride and caution. This sudden attention felt like a double-edged sword—validation on one side, and suspicion on the other. How long would it be before the whispers turned back into daggers aimed at my back?

“Look who it is—the Computer Club Princess herself!” Lily teased, her voice bright as I sank onto the bench beside her. Her golden-brown hair was pulled into a messy bun, and she wore a vibrant yellow sweater that seemed to radiate her sunny disposition.

I rolled my eyes, unable to hide my irritation. “Please, don’t call me that.”

“But it’s so fitting!” she laughed, gesturing toward a group of students who were not-so-subtly glancing our way. “You’ve got an entire royal court of admirers now.”

“They’re just a bunch of fake assholes,” I muttered, pulling out my laptop and opening it with a snap. “A few days ago, half of them were probably gossiping about me behind my back.”

Lily shrugged, taking a sip of her coffee, her expression nonchalant. “That’s college politics for you. People align themselves with whoever has power.”

“That’s exactly my point. It’s pathetic,” I replied, frustration bubbling beneath the surface.

“Speaking of pathetic…” Lily’s voice dropped to a conspiratorial whisper as she nodded toward the entrance of the campus café. “Look who just walked in.”

Kate stood at the doorway, flanked by her usual entourage. Her perfectly styled brown curls bounced as she laughed at something one of her friends said, but even from a distance, I could sense the tension radiating from her like heat from a furnace.

“Your code isn’t the only thing speaking for you these days,” Sarah sneered, her eyes gleaming with malice.

Kate placed a restraining hand on Sarah’s arm, her gaze fixed on me with an unsettling intensity. “It’s fine, Sarah. My sister can have this small victory.” She stepped closer, lowering her voice to a conspiratorial whisper. “Jonathan asked me to remind you to stay away from Friday’s shareholders meeting. He said if you show up, he’ll make things very unpleasant for you.”

My stomach twisted into knots, but I maintained a neutral expression. “Is that a threat?”

“Consider it friendly family advice,” Kate replied, her smile devoid of warmth. “You don’t know the first thing about running a business, Evelyn. You’ll embarrass yourself.”

The truth of her words hit me like a punch to the gut. I didn’t know anything about managing a company. My grandfather had thrown me into the deep end without so much as a life preserver.

As Kate and her friends departed, Lily squeezed my arm, her grip reassuring. “Don’t listen to her. She’s just pissed that you’ve got the upper hand for once.”

I nodded absently, my mind racing with thoughts. Despite my bravado, the prospect of facing the Gray Enterprises shareholders terrified me. I had been cut off from the family business for three long years. I was utterly clueless about what was happening within the company.

The weight of the impending shareholders meeting loomed over me like a storm cloud, heavy and oppressive. I felt exposed, vulnerable—like a novice tossed into a lion’s den. Jonathan’s warning echoed in my mind, stirring a tumult of fear and defiance within me. I clenched my fists, reminding myself that this was my opportunity to prove I belonged.

I needed help. And as much as I hated to admit it, I knew exactly who to reach out to.