The Thorne Heiress Unveiling Shadow novel Chapter 37

The moment Evelyn and Chloe stepped off the stage, they were mobbed. The aftermath of their victory was a whirlwind of flashing cameras from the student press, the excited shouting of reporters from tech blogs, and a sudden, massive crowd of students all wanting a piece of the campus's newest celebrities. It was a chaotic, overwhelming wave of sound and light.

"How did you do it?" a student from the campus newspaper yelled, shoving a recorder in Chloe's face. "Your preliminary time was a record! What's your secret?"

Chloe, clutching the heavy crystal trophy to her chest as if it were a life raft, was completely overwhelmed, blinking in the flashbulbs. But as she heard the whispers rippling through the crowd—"I still think it was a fluke, some kind of glitch," and "Did you hear that rumor about her being a diversity placement? I bet she didn't write a single line of code"—a fierce, protective anger cut through her daze.

She held up the trophy, her eyes flashing. "There's no secret!" she declared, her voice ringing with a newfound confidence that surprised even herself. "My partner is a genius. That's it. All those stupid rumors you've been spreading online? They're pathetic lies, probably started by someone who's just jealous." She glared out at the sea of faces. "Evelyn is the most brilliant person I have ever met, and she is the best partner I could have ever asked for. We won because of her. End of story."

The students, taken aback by her passionate and unwavering defense, fell silent. They looked from the fiery, loyal redhead to Evelyn, who was standing beside her with a small, appreciative smile. In that moment, Chloe, the cheerful, nerdy sidekick, became Evelyn's staunchest public defender, her first true ally at Sterling. She wasn't just a roommate anymore; she was a friend.

A path cleared in the crowd, and a new figure approached them. It was Mark Chen. He looked humbled and ashamed, his earlier arrogance completely gone. He stopped in front of Evelyn, his eyes fixed on the floor.

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