Ty ignores Darcy and turns to the camera. ‘Penny, if you’re out there, I still love you. I want to be with you. I need to know if there’s any future for us.’

Darcy’s phone starts vibrating in her pocket. She knows who it’s going to be before she even reads Alice on the screen. Her throat tightens, suddenly desperate for water. The phone continues to pulsate in her palm. The floor manager looks over, gauges that Darcy’s contemplating answering the call and shakes her head. Darcy was told her mobile was to be switched off before coming on set.

‘Is there anything else you’d like to tell Penny or the Australian public?’ Kiel asks Ty, a buzz in his voice now that the interview has become more than what he’d expected it to be.

‘I’d like to say I’m sorry,’ Ty admits. ‘I know I’ve hurt people along the way and I didn’t mean to do that. It was all very last minute that I became the suitor and the truth is that I shouldn’t have signed on to do the show.’

Darcy wonders if she should start crying. There is no way of backtracking after a comment like that.

Janine reaches out and touches his arm. ‘We’re sorry to hear that, Ty. There will be disappointed fans out there, but if your heart is already with someone else, I’m sure everyone hopes you’ll get your happily ever after.’

Darcy can’t help but be impressed with Janine’s quick response. She notices the floor manager finally giving the hosts a signal to wind things up. She should be relieved, but honestly is there anything worth saving?

‘Thanks for coming on the show, Ty.’

Ty gives a small nod. ‘Thanks for having me.’ His face is white despite the hot lights of the studio shining down on him.

Kiel looks back to the camera. ‘You heard it here first. Ty Peterson, star of The One, is still in love with his ex-fiancée.’

‘And we’re out,’ the floor manager calls out, indicating filming has stopped. ‘Three minutes to re-set.’

There’s a general buzz as Ty farewells the hosts, who clearly want to have a bit more of a chat to him, but the sound guy takes the microphone off him and the floor manager herds him off the set. Darcy remains frozen to the spot as her phone starts buzzing again.

Ty approaches. ‘I’m sorry, Darcy. I just miss her so much. I can’t pretend anymore.’

He planned the whole thing. He knew he was going to confess his true feelings on live TV and screw over The One. But Ty knows he could be sued for doing something like this. Did they push him to this cliff edge?

Darcy musters a smile for him. He’s nothing but a heartbroken guy pining for his love.

Chapter 49

49