From Best Friend To Fiancé (Savannah and Roman) novel Chapter 185

**TITLE: Dreams Folding Into Broken Time**

**Chapter 185**

This was my boyfriend’s office, a space that felt like a sanctuary to me, and I refused to let her bully me out of it.

As I munched on my taco, I couldn’t help but notice how effortlessly Penny shifted the conversation. With a casual air, she began to discuss New Hope, her tone dripping with familiarity. It was as if she had lived through the legal battles surrounding my sister, and now she was recounting them like old gossip.

“When we drafted the temporary guardianship papers, I had to fight tooth and nail against Ryan’s claims—what a headache that was, right, Roman?” She chuckled lightly, but the laughter felt sharp. “All that trouble, and in the end, she’s just happy being a mistress. Such a pity.”

My stomach twisted into knots at her words. How dare she speak about my sister in such a dismissive way?

Roman cleared his throat, breaking the tension. “Let’s be respectful of her choices, Penny.” His voice was firm, a protective barrier against her casual cruelty.

“Okay, okay.” She raised her hands in mock surrender. “I didn’t mean to come off as rude. It’s just… some things really catch me off guard. That’s all.”

I rolled my eyes, unbothered by whether she noticed. If she could be rude, then so could I.

The way she spoke with such ease about Roman’s family, weaving tales of his brothers and the convoluted legal entanglements, sent waves of jealousy crashing over me. It was unsettling to realize how well she knew him, how deeply embedded she was in his life.

She had a connection with him that I was still trying to understand.

Roman, however, seemed to be splitting his attention. He nodded at her remarks, but with each passing moment, his gaze flickered toward me—gentle touches on my hand, fleeting glances, protective gestures that spoke volumes. It was subtle, yet unmistakably deliberate. He was silently affirming my place in this space, reminding both of us that I belonged here.

Could she be a scorned ex-lover? If so, I could hardly blame Roman for wanting to escape her clutches; she was mildly insufferable.

A flush of pride and relief washed over me, mingled with a simmering anger at Penny’s audacity, her comfort around him, and her extensive knowledge of his life. She had clearly been here before me, and her presence was a stark reminder that Roman’s world was vast—much larger than the one we shared. Yet, despite it all, he had chosen me.

Just then, Roman’s phone buzzed on the desk, its vibration pulling my attention. Penny’s eyes darted to it before he even reached for it.

“That’s your secretary heading out for her coffee break,” she predicted, her tone almost smug.

He smiled, a glimmer of amusement in his eyes. “Bingo.”

My heart raced. Her familiarity with him, with his life, even with his messages—it was unnerving. I stiffened in my chair, feeling the weight of her presence, a shadow that lingered, a reminder of the intricate and dangerous world Roman inhabited, a world where there were still corners of him I had yet to claim. My fingers tightened around my taco again, the flavors turning bitter with anxiety and possessive longing.

The game had only just begun.