**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.

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