Secrets | 5SOS

Epilogue

Epilogue

Ten Years Later

Isabella Hood stood backstage, her heart pounding in her chest. The buzzing excitement of the crowd beyond the curtain was deafening. A decade ago, she never would have imagined herself here—standing in front of thousands of people, ready to talk about her work. She took a deep breath, gripping the cover of her latest novel, a bestseller that had taken the literary world by storm.

"You ready, Iz?"

She turned to see her older brother, Dr. Calum Hood, smiling at her. He had taken the evening off from his clinic to be here, as he always did for her big moments.

"As ready as I'll ever be," she replied with a grin.

The announcer’s voice boomed through the auditorium. "Please welcome, the brilliant and award-winning author, Isabella Hood!"

As she stepped onto the stage, the applause was thunderous. She waved and took her seat, her mind drifting for a moment to the people who had always supported her.

In the front row, Ashton Irwin sat beside his wife, a proud smile on his face. He had helped her through her early days of doubt, always reminding her of her worth. Luke Hemmings, still the calm and collected doctor, was beside him, his eyes filled with admiration. Michael Clifford, gave her a thumbs-up, his usual mischievous smirk still intact.

She cleared her throat, bringing herself back to the present. "Wow," she started, gazing at the sea of faces before her. "If you had told sixteen-year-old me that I’d be sitting here, talking about my books, I probably would’ve laughed."

The audience chuckled.

"But I had people who believed in me, even when I didn’t believe in myself. My brother, Calum, and his amazing friends, who are basically my brothers too, never let me forget that I had a voice worth hearing. And today, I want to remind all of you—your voice matters. Your story matters. Never be afraid to tell it."

As the crowd erupted into cheers, Isabella caught Calum’s eye. He wiped away a tear, shaking his head in disbelief.

She had done it. She had found her place in the world.

And she knew—this was only the beginning.