Callum had to catch his breath for a beat. “Sh-she must have locked the auditorium door. We had to use the back one and run around th-the damn building.”

“What?”

Marcus pointed to Sloane.

“Carol didn’t turn your mic off,” he said angrily. “Everything you’ve been saying has been broadcasting back in the auditorium.”

Sloane felt ice go through her veins. “E-everything?”

Marcus nodded with a small, apologetic smile.

Carol Fucking Robertson.

Sloane started to rip the headset off but caught herself. She looked at Brady, standing tall.

“It’s okay. I don’t want to hide how I feel anymore,” she said, resolute. She looked back to Brady. His face was a blank slate, but she had to say what was in her heart. “I love you, Brady. Everything after that, we can figure out. Together.”

Sloane had finally become the girl who said something.

Something real. Something raw. Something that could absolutely bite her in the ass.

Sloane De Carlo had taken a risk, a big one, and now it was all on the man who had been worth that risk.

Brady didn’t take long. “I’ve already said what I wanted to say.”

He turned around and left without another word.

And just like that, it was over.

A pain she couldn’t touch split her from heart to head. The urge to press her hands against her chest to try and keep it from falling apart butted up against the mere fact that she didn’t have the time to process it all. Not yet. Instead, within that moment, she decided there were two more things she had to do.

The first was staring at her.

She took a breath, then took off her mic and walked it to Marcus. Her words came out fast and clear, taking with them the weight of her most-guarded secret.

Not that it was a secret anymore.

“I loved you for a long time, and I should have told you, but I didn’t, and I’m sorry I wrote about you in the blog. But even though that last blog post was about still being in love with you, I didn’t really feel it. I don’t think I have in a while. It was just easier to hold on to something familiar than deal with the unknown.” Sloane didn’t feel like smiling, but she hoped she looked sincere. “Still, I’m really sorry for putting you in the spotlight. You’re a great guy, and I really do wish you and Felicity every ounce of happiness there is.”

Sloane didn’t wait for him to respond. She could feel herself on the verge of breaking down, and there was still one thing she needed to do.

Callum called after her as Sloane marched her mic back to the auditorium. A hush settled over the room as everyone was all eyes on her when she entered.