Chapter 5

My voice echoed through the speakers, hitting every corner of the ballroom.

Dead silence.

Absolute, suffocating silence.

In a room of hundreds of people, it felt like everyone had stopped breathing.

Every eye darted frantically between me, Melissa, and Blake.

Blake was the first to react.

The flush of happiness drained from his face, leaving him chalk-white.

He instinctively took a half-step back, but Melissa grabbed his wrist.

Under the harsh glare of the spotlight, the gesture was glaringly obvious.

Melissa finally found her voice.

"Ethan... what are you doing here?"

Her voice was dry, trembling with disbelief.

"Why wouldn't…