From Best Friend To Fiancé (Savannah and Roman) novel Chapter 292

**TITLE: Dreams Folding Into Broken Time**

The true enemy isn’t Savannah; it resides in the silence that stretches between us like an unbridgeable chasm. It lurks in the shadows of our fears, in the unspoken mistrust that clings to the air, and in the haunting specter of my past that refuses to let go, tainting every inch of the life we’ve attempted to build together.

I leaned my head against the cool, hard wall, my gaze fixed on the ceiling above me. The sting in my eyes blurred my vision, blurring the lines of reality and swirling my thoughts into a tempest of confusion and longing.

Savannah craved a moment of selfishness, a fleeting chance to grasp something that was solely hers—to love, to nurture, to cherish. Yes, she might have gone about it in a way that felt misguided, but her intentions were rooted in a deep desire for us. She wanted me. She yearned for a sense of belonging to something that felt unbreakable, something that could withstand the trials of life.

And perhaps… perhaps that wasn’t a sin. Maybe that was love, stripped bare in its most desperate and pure form. In that moment, clarity washed over me like a gentle tide, bringing with it a sense of purpose.

I didn’t want her to end things. I couldn’t bear the thought of her destroying something that might already be woven into the very fabric of our existence. I wanted to confront our struggles together. I wanted to be present for every heartbeat, every flutter of hope, and every moment that validated our survival through the storms that had battered us just to arrive at this point.

I wanted her—always her, in all her flawed, beautiful complexity.

With a determined effort, I pushed myself off the floor, wincing slightly as my knees protested. I made a mental note to apologize to Lizzie in the morning for the disturbance I had caused, but right now, only one person occupied my thoughts.

The house lay shrouded in silence, save for the soft, heart-wrenching sobs emanating from Savannah on the other side of the door. My hand found the doorknob, and I twisted it slowly, the door creaking open as if it too was hesitant to disrupt the fragile atmosphere.

She froze at the sight of me.

Her cries ceased abruptly, her head snapping up from where she lay curled at the edge of the bed. The sight of her—cheeks stained with tears, eyes swollen, hair a wild halo around her face—was a bittersweet revelation. Even in her brokenness, trembling and vulnerable, she was the most breathtaking thing I had ever laid eyes on. The covers barely concealed her, and the sight of her took my breath away.

“Roman?” she whispered, her voice laced with disbelief, as if she couldn’t trust the reality unfolding before her.

I didn’t respond verbally. Instead, I crossed the space between us in a heartbeat, enveloping her in my arms. For a fleeting moment, she stiffened, caught off guard by my sudden presence. But then, as if she found solace in my embrace, she melted against me, gripping my shirt as though it were her lifeline.

Her sobs resumed, muffled against my chest. “I’m sorry…”

I pressed a gentle kiss to the top of her head, my voice a soft murmur against her hair. “How many?”

She stilled, pulling back just enough to meet my gaze. Confusion danced across her features as her lips parted. “I—I don’t understand…”

“How many children do you want, my love?” I repeated, this time with clarity, my thumb brushing away a stray tear that had escaped down her cheek.

Her eyes widened, a glimmer of disbelief flickering within them. She shook her head rapidly, panic setting in. “None. I don’t want any kids anymore. I just want you. If it’s positive, I’ll—I’ll take care of it first thing in the morning. Just give me a little more time. I promise—”

“Stop,” I interjected gently, pressing my forehead to hers. “Tell me the truth, baby.”

Her bottom lip quivered, and fresh tears pooled in her eyes. “I want four,” she whispered, her voice fragile, the words tumbling out in a rush, desperate and raw. “I want four children, Roman. I want to have your children. I want to see them with your eyes, your smile, your stubbornness. I want to raise a family with you. I know I went about it the wrong way, but…” Her voice cracked, and the pain in her words resonated deep within me. “I just wanted us to have something good.”

In that moment, the world around us seemed to tilt precariously. For a long, breathless second, I found myself at a loss for words. My throat tightened, constricting around everything I yearned to express. But then, I leaned in closer, pressing my forehead against hers, and let out a shaky laugh that teetered on the brink of tears.

I cradled her face in my hands, compelling her to look into my eyes. “Then we’ll have four,” I whispered, my voice steady with conviction. “I’ll give you anything you want.”

Her eyes widened further, disbelief flooding her expression.

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