From Best Friend To Fiancé (Savannah and Roman) novel Chapter 430

When he called, I’d grab Elizabeth and we’d head back to the manor.

My things were already packed. Bags loaded. My car was ready.

Roman had a deadline. A timeline he couldn’t afford to derail.

Savannah’s next appointment was at hand. So everything had to move

smoothly. It just had to.

Except he hadn’t called back.

After he’d hung up to contact emergency services, his phone had

gone dead. Completely off. And that wasn’t like him.

Roman didn’t turn his phone off. Ever. Not for sleep. Not for breaks.

Not for anything. And now it was almost afternoon.

No call. No message. Nothing.

A bad feeling had settled deep in my gut, heavy and insistent. I

pushed off the doorway and walked toward the couch, clearing my

throat as I stopped in front of her.

“Elizabeth.”

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She looked up slowly, spoon paused halfway to her mouth. Calm. Very

unbothered.

“Yes?” she said, setting the bowl down beside her. “Can I help you

with something?”

The words hit me harder than I expected.

Can I help you with something? Like I was a stranger. Like yesterday

hadn’t happened. Like we hadn’t done something intimate enough to

leave me raw.

My brows lifted before I could stop myself. “Is that all you have to say

to me?”

The moment the words left my mouth, I nearly cringed. I sounded…

off. Too affected. Too bothered.

She blinked once. Twice. Then reached up and removed her glasses,

setting them carefully on the table. “Reese,” she said evenly. “Do you

have something to say? My cereal’s getting kinda soggy.”

I stared at her. The composure. The control. The complete absence of

guilt, shyness or hesitation. Something twisted in my chest right

there and then.

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“Is this a joke?” I asked.

She sighed softly and put her glasses back on. “Look. I know you’re

probably upset about yesterday.”

Probably?

“I know I should’ve told you earlier,” she continued. “And I’m sorry

that I didn’t. I really am.” She placed a hand against her chest,

expression sincere but distant. “I didn’t mean to deceive you. I just…

I really needed your help to get that out of the way.”

I froze.

Needed my help. Get that out of the way.

The words landed like a slap.

She went on, oblivious to the fact that she’d just cracked something

open inside me.

“But truly, Reese, from the bottom of my heart–thank you for your

help. You were the only one who ticked all my boxes. And you didn’t

disappoint.” She clasped her hands together, offering a polite, tight

smile. “A job well done.”

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I felt like I’d been punched. “You cannot be serious,” I said slowly.

She tilted her head. “Excuse me?”

“You’re talking about this like it was a fucking transaction,” I

snapped. “Like I was a service you hired. Do you have any idea how

insane that sounds?”

Her brows knitted together, confusion flickering across her face.

“Reese, I am a practical person. Not an emotional person.”

“You deceived me, Elizabeth,” I continued, the words spilling out

before I could stop them. “You told me you-”

Her phone rang. The sound cut through the room loudly, stopping me

halfway.

She shot me a look before reaching for it. She dragged the icon across

the screen and lifted the phone to her ear. “Hello?” she said. Then her

voice softened. “Sav.”

My entire body went rigid. And I didn’t even know why.

Savannah.

“I’ve been waiting to hear from you since yesterday,” Elizabeth said

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quickly. “I was starting to worry—”

She stopped.

Her posture changed instantly. The ease drained from her shoulders.

Her brows drew together as she listened, eyes unfocused.

“What?” she whispered. Then she stood abruptly, her left hand flying

to cover her mouth.

My heart slammed against my ribs. I knew instantly that something

was wrong.

“No,” she breathed. “No, that’s not-” Her knees seemed to buckle

slightly. And then she said the words that turned my blood cold.

“What do you mean Roman got shot and is in a coma?!”

The room tilted. The sound of the television faded into nothing but

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