Chapter 8

Monday morning arrived with bright, cold sunlight. Evelena stood by the penthouse window, staring out at the city. The agonizing grief over Aidan's death still burned a hole in her chest, and her hatred for Cathi fueled her every waking breath. She knew Cathi and Felicia were preparing for the upcoming high-society charity gala, a legacy of her grandfather that they had stolen. She wasn't returning to the trivial drama of high school to study; she was going to St.

Jude Preparatory Academy because it was the breeding ground for New York's elite, and the first step in dismantling her family's social network before the gala. The gothic iron gates of the school stood open.

A black, bulletproof Maybach, flanked by four massive Range Rovers, drove straight through the entrance. The convoy completely ignored the speed bumps, rolling smoothly onto the campus.

The sheer aggression of the vehicles made every student in the courtyard stop moving. The loud chatter died instantly. Everyone stared, wondering which billionaire or politician was arriving.

The Maybach stopped right at the bottom of the main stone steps. Two bodyguards in dark sunglasses jumped out. They opened the rear door.

A foot wearing a custom leather boot stepped out. Evelena stood up. She was wearing the standard school uniform, but it was tailored to fit her perfectly.

Her short, sharp hair blew in the wind. Her face was completely devoid of emotion. She looked nothing like the quiet, scared girl they used to know.

A collective gasp rippled through the crowd. A girl standing near the steps dropped her iced coffee. The plastic cup shattered, spilling brown liquid everywhere.

Evelena ignored the staring eyes. She adjusted the strap of her bag and walked up the stone steps. Her back was perfectly straight.

At the top of the stairs stood Kenzie Block, the undisputed queen of the school's social hierarchy. She was surrounded by her usual group of wealthy followers.

Kenzie stared at the Maybach. Her father was a board member, and even he couldn't buy that specific model. Her chest burned with ugly, hot jealousy.

Brandi, Kenzie's right-hand girl, leaned in. She whispered loudly that since Evelena got kicked out, she must have sold her body to some old, gross sugar daddy to survive.

Kenzie's eyes lit up. She grabbed onto the lie immediately. She laughed loudly and agreed, making sure her voice carried across the courtyard.

The rumor spread like a virus. By the time the first bell rang, everyone in the hallways was whispering about Evelena being a high-priced escort.

Evelena walked into her AP Microeconomics class. The room went dead silent. Thirty pairs of eyes stared at her with disgust and curiosity.

She did not blink. She walked straight to her desk in the back row and sat down, pulling out her notebook.

When the class ended, Evelena walked into the girls' restroom. She pushed the door open and found Kenzie and three of her friends waiting inside.

Kenzie crossed her arms. She smirked and asked Evelena if her knees hurt from spending all weekend on the floor for her old sugar daddy.

Evelena walked to the sink. She turned on the cold water and slowly washed her hands. She did not even look at Kenzie in the mirror.

The silence made Kenzie furious. She stepped forward. She reached out her hand, trying to grab the collar of Evelena's uniform to look for marks on her neck.

Evelena's eyes hardened. She spun around and slapped Kenzie's hand away with brutal force. The loud smack echoed off the tiles. Kenzie's skin turned bright red instantly.

Kenzie shrieked. She grabbed her hand and screamed that Evelena was a dirty whore.

Evelena pulled a paper towel from the dispenser. She dried her hands slowly. She took a step toward Kenzie. Her eyes were dead.

She spoke in a low, terrifying voice. She told Kenzie that if she opened her mouth to bark again, she would physically rip her teeth out.

The heavy, suffocating pressure radiating from Evelena felt exactly like Ingram. Kenzie actually took a step back, her heart pounding in her chest.

Evelena threw the crumpled paper towel perfectly into the trash can. She shoved her shoulder hard into Brandi, forcing her out of the way, and walked out the door.

Kenzie held her stinging hand. Her whole body shook with rage. She looked at Brandi and hissed that they were going to destroy Evelena at the equestrian club this afternoon.

At lunch, Orlaith sat across from Evelena in the cafeteria. She leaned over her tray and asked about the insane car convoy.

Evelena kept her voice down. She said a powerful man saved her life, but she did not say Ingram's name.

Orlaith let out a breath. She warned Evelena that Kenzie was crazy and would definitely try to get revenge.

Evelena cut a piece of steak with her knife. Her face was completely calm. She said she was hoping Kenzie would try something. Orlaith watched Evelena's hardened expression. A deep frown of worry creased Orlaith's forehead. Beneath the table, she discreetly pulled out her phone and sent a rapid, urgent text message to her older brother, Cian, telling him Evelena was in serious danger and needed backup.

Across the city, Ingram sat in his office. He looked at a text message from the security team detailing the rumors spreading around the school. His jaw ticked.

He dropped his pen onto the desk. He looked at Palmer and told him to cancel the afternoon meetings. He was going to St. Jude.

Palmer's eyes widened slightly, but he immediately nodded and walked out to prepare the car.

The storm was moving toward the school.