Chapter 22
In Chapter 16 of “Dreams Folding Into Broken Time,” the atmosphere is charged with tension as Roman enters a room filled with despair. Alyssa is curled up on the couch, visibly distressed, while Savannah tries to comfort her. The urgency escalates when Savannah reveals that Emily’s father, Gerald, is downstairs causing a scene and threatening to take her away. Roman’s anger flares as he questions Gerald’s absence in Emily’s life, highlighting Alyssa’s guilt over their fractured relationship. The emotional weight of the situation becomes palpable as Alyssa admits they are not together, revealing her shame and inner turmoil.
As the chapter progresses, Alyssa’s resentment towards her sister Chloe surfaces, as she believes Chloe informed Gerald about Emily. Tensions rise further when Roman decides to take action, declaring his intention to file a restraining order against Gerald. The urgency of the situation drives Roman to contact his lawyer, Penny, seeking immediate legal protection for Alyssa and Emily. The conversation underscores the complexities of their relationships, with Roman’s determination to help Alyssa shining through despite the chaos surrounding them.
The chapter takes a darker turn when Dean reveals that Chloe is missing, adding another layer of anxiety to the already volatile situation. Roman’s protective instincts kick in, and he decides to search for Chloe, with Savannah joining him. Their dynamic hints at unresolved feelings, creating an uncomfortable tension. Meanwhile, Alyssa’s vulnerability is evident as she expresses her fear of losing Emily, prompting Roman to reassure her that he will fight for her and her daughter.
As Roman prepares to confront Gerald, he discovers a shocking connection: Gerald is actually his brother, Ryan Blackwood. This revelation adds a personal stake to the conflict, intensifying Roman’s emotions as he grapples with the implications of his family ties. The chapter closes with a sense of impending confrontation, leaving readers anxious to see how Roman will navigate this complex web of relationships and protect those he cares about.
**TITLE: Dreams Folding Into Broken Time p>
**by Serene L. Arden p>
**Chapter 16: We’re Not Together p>
**Roman p>
As I stepped into the room, it felt as if an invisible weight had settled upon my chest, a suffocating heaviness that echoed the gravity of the situation. The air was thick with despair, and I could almost hear the silence scream.
Alyssa was curled up on the couch, her form resembling a shattered doll, the kind that once held the promise of joy but had now been discarded. Her face was marred with blotches, a testament to her distress, while her breaths came in uneven, shaky intervals. Savannah was beside her, her arm draped protectively around Alyssa, gently rubbing soothing circles on her shoulder as if trying to mend the pieces of her shattered spirit. Lizzie, on the other hand, was a whirlwind of anxiety, pacing near the window with her phone pressed to her ear, her voice a sharp whisper as she hurriedly spoke, urgency lacing her words. Savannah’s mother hovered nearby, concern etched across her features, adding to the tension in the room.
“What’s happening?” I asked, my voice slicing through the oppressive atmosphere like a knife.
Savannah’s gaze met mine, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. “Emily’s dad is downstairs,” she replied, her voice trembling slightly. “He’s causing a scene and threatening to take her away p>
Even in her distress, Savannah’s strength shone through, but the fear in her eyes was unmistakable.
Emily lay peacefully asleep on the bed, blissfully unaware of the chaos unfolding just beyond her door.
Rage bubbled within me, and I clenched my fists, feeling the heat of anger rise in my chest. “Where has he been all this time? If he’s such a devoted father, why wasn’t he there to save her from drowning?” I spat, the bitterness of my words hanging in the air.
Alyssa turned her face away, unwilling to meet my gaze. “We’re not together,” she murmured softly, the weight of her admission heavy in the room. “He’s not in her life p>
She averted her eyes, but the guilt etched on her features was impossible to miss.
In that moment, it struck me how her avoidance revealed her inner turmoil, the shame she was desperately trying to conceal.
I studied her closely, really studied her. The way her eyes flicked to the floor, avoiding contact, and how her shoulders hunched as if she wished to shrink away from the world. She wasn’t merely hiding pain; she was cloaked in shame, as if it were a second skin.
But who was I to cast judgment?
Savannah lowered her gaze, the weight of the situation pressing down on her. “Gerald wasn’t there for her, so she didn’t want anything from him. Not even a name on a birth certificate p>
I felt a knot tighten in my stomach. “So how did he find out about Emily?” I pressed, the urgency of the situation gnawing at me.
Alyssa’s voice turned sharp, laced with bitterness. “Chloe p>
Savannah’s head jerked up, surprise flashing across her face.
“09:30 Tue, Nov 25 D”
**Chapter 22 p>
“That vindictive little bitch told him,” Alyssa’s voice cracked as she rose to her feet, her emotions spilling over. “She’s trying to punish me. She’s actually trying to get back at me. This time, she’s gone too far p>
“Alyssa, don’t speak about your sister that way,” their mother interjected sharply, hastily covering the mouthpiece of her phone, her voice a mixture of authority and concern.
Alyssa broke free from Savannah’s comforting embrace, her fists clenched tight at her sides. “That snake is not my sister. At least, not today. She’s trying to take my daughter away from me. If you see her again, you better warn her to run the other direction p>
Honestly? I wouldn’t put it past Chloe. That blonde-haired narcissist thrived on chaos and loved to sabotage.
“Wait—does he know which room she’s in?” their dad asked, his voice low and cautious, as if he were afraid of the answer.
Savannah answered, her voice steady. “No. The nurses won’t let him in unless they’re certain he’s truly her father. Right now, all they know is that there’s a crazy man insisting he’s a patient’s father p>
“We’re filing a restraining order,” I declared firmly, determination coursing through me.
Alyssa’s brows knitted together in confusion. “Just like that p>
“Just like that,” I affirmed, my resolve unyielding.
I pulled out my phone, urgency propelling me forward. “I’m calling my lawyer p>
Savannah blinked, her surprise evident. “Who? Conrad? He’s in Malibu, remember p>
“No, Penny,” I replied, scrolling through my contacts with purpose. “If the sperm donor wants a custody fight, we’ll give him a war p>
I stepped away to make the call, my heart racing.
The phone rang twice before a familiar voice broke through the line. “Roman,” Penny’s crisp tone greeted me. “Long time no talk. I was beginning to think you’d eloped and left me behind p>
I managed a tight smile, the tension in my chest palpable. “I need a restraining order. Now p>
“Ooh, straight to business. I’m intrigued,” she replied, pausing for a moment. “Against whom? Let me guess, an obsessive client p>
“An unstable man trying to take a child from her mother. The girl almost drowned this morning, and now he’s shown up at the hospital acting like he’s the hero p>
“And who is the mother to you? Roman, is there something I need to know?” she probed, her tone shifting slightly.
“Penny, she’s a friend,” I stated firmly, though the word felt inadequate.
“09:30 Tue, Nov 25”
**Chapter 22 p>
She exhaled slowly. “Okay. I can file the paperwork today, but Roman… I’m not exactly the favored side right now. Social services might flag the case because the near-drowning happened on the mother’s watch p>
My jaw tightened, frustration boiling beneath the surface. “So what can we do p>
“Dig,” Penny instructed, her voice resolute. “Find me something ugly. A history of violence. Drugs. Affairs. Scandals. Financial instability. I don’t care what it is. I just need a crack, anything to make the mother look like the safer option here p>
“Then I’ll give you everything,” I promised. “I’ll call back with his full name p>
Even as I spoke, a coil of unease tightened in my chest. This wasn’t merely about Alyssa anymore.
“Roman,” she said, her tone softer now, almost inviting. “Let’s hang out sometime p>
“I’m not in Philly right now, but I’ll let you know when I get back,” I replied, the weight of the conversation hanging heavily between us before I hung up.
Just then, Dean entered the room, his expression clouded with concern. “I can’t find Chloe p>
Savannah straightened, alarm flashing across her face. “What do you mean p>
“She’s not at the house; her car’s still parked, and no one’s seen her leave. Her phone’s smashed—thanks to Alyssa,” he added, frustration creeping into his voice.
“Don’t start with me, Dean,” Alyssa shot back, her temper flaring.
I could feel the tension spiral. Chloe missing? Gerald showing up? Too many pieces were shifting at once, and it felt like a precarious game of Jenga.
“I need to go look for her,” I stated, determination coursing through me.
Savannah grabbed her phone, her resolve evident. “I’ll come with you p>
Dean nodded, and for a brief moment, my stomach twisted uneasily at the sight of them together.
I didn’t like it. Not the way Dean looked at her, as if she were still his to protect. Not the way she looked back at him, trust dancing in her eyes.
But this wasn’t the time to dwell on that.
“Be careful,” I said, forcing my voice to remain steady, and Savannah met my gaze for a fleeting moment that made my chest tighten.
“I’ll text you if we find her,” she assured me before disappearing down the hallway with Dean.
As the door closed behind them, the room felt heavier, as if the walls themselves were closing in.
“09:30 Tue, Nov 25”
**Chapter 22 p>
Alyssa sank back onto the couch, her voice barely above a whisper. “What am I going to do if I lose her p>
“You’re not losing anyone,” I said firmly, moving closer to her. I crouched down, locking eyes with her. “I’m going to fix this. I promise. No one is taking Emily from you. I just need his full name p>
She blinked, her lips trembling with emotion. “Why are you doing this p>
Because you remind me of someone. Because I couldn’t save her, but maybe I can save you.
But I kept those thoughts to myself. “Because no child deserves to be a pawn. And no mother should have to fight this alone p>
She nodded, slow and small, as if my words offered her a glimmer of hope. “His name is Gerald Potter p>
Potter. The name ignited a fire of loathing within me.
“I need to talk to him,” I said, my voice resolute.
Alyssa frowned, confusion clouding her features. “Why p>
“Because before we unleash legal hell on him, I want to give him a chance to walk away,” I explained, my mind racing with the implications.
And because I needed to understand exactly who I was dealing with.
Their father stood, skepticism etched across his face. “You sure that’s wise p>
“I didn’t say I was going to be nice,” I muttered under my breath. “If he doesn’t want this to get ugly, he’ll back down p>
I took the elevator down to the lobby, my heart pounding steadily in my ears as security nodded at me in recognition.
As I rounded the corner near the reception desk, I spotted a man gesturing angrily at the nurses. I didn’t need anyone to tell me he was the prick I was looking for.
He was pacing near the reception, still arguing vehemently with anyone in scrubs.
Tall. Broad-shouldered. An expensive watch glinting on his wrist.
And worse, he looked familiar.
Too familiar.
“Gerald Potter?” I called out, my voice steady despite the storm brewing inside me.
When he turned to face me, I felt the world shift beneath my feet.
“09:30 Tue, Nov 25”
**Chapter 22 p>
I shouldn’t have brushed it off as mere coincidence.
Potter.
My mother’s maiden name. The pieces fell into place with chilling clarity, sharp as glass.
The eyes. The jawline. The smirk.
That wasn’t Gerald Potter.
That was Ryan Blackwood.
My brother.
In the tumultuous aftermath of revelations and emotions, the weight of familial ties and the haunting specter of betrayal loomed large. Roman stood at the precipice of a storm, grappling with the realization that the man threatening Alyssa’s daughter was not just a stranger but a brother he had long believed was lost to the shadows of their fractured past. The air crackled with tension as the truth unfolded, intertwining their lives in a way Roman could never have anticipated. In that moment, the fight for Emily transformed from a mere legal battle into a deeply personal vendetta, igniting a fierce determination within him to protect not just Alyssa, but the very essence of innocence that was at stake.
As Alyssa’s fragile hope flickered in the face of uncertainty, Roman’s resolve solidified into an unyielding promise. He understood now that their intertwined fates demanded more than mere words; they required action and sacrifice. The chaotic backdrop of emotions—fear, anger, and the lingering scent of betrayal—gave way to a burgeoning sense of purpose. With every heartbeat, he vowed to shield Alyssa and Emily from the encroaching darkness, to confront the demons of their past, and to forge a future untainted by the sins of their lineage. In the heart of the storm, they found strength in unity, a shared resolve that would propel them forward, even as the shadows of broken time threatened to consume them.
In the upcoming chapter, readers can expect a whirlwind of emotions and revelations as Roman confronts the shocking truth about Gerald Potter’s true identity. The tension in the air will be palpable as Roman grapples with the implications of discovering that the man threatening Alyssa’s custody is, in fact, his estranged brother. This familial connection will not only complicate the already fraught situation but also force Roman to confront his own past and the scars it has left behind. How will he reconcile the anger and betrayal he feels towards Ryan Blackwood, a figure from his childhood that he thought was long gone? The stakes are higher than ever, and the emotional fallout promises to be explosive.
As Roman prepares to face Ryan, the chapter will delve deep into the complexities of family loyalty, the bonds that tie us together, and the lengths one will go to protect those they love. The dynamics between Alyssa, Savannah, and Roman will shift as secrets unfold, alliances are tested, and the battle for Emily’s future intensifies. Expect unexpected alliances and perhaps a twist that will leave readers questioning the true nature of family and the choices we make in the name of love. Will Roman be able to stand firm against his brother, or will the shadows of their shared past threaten to pull him under? The next chapter promises to keep readers on the edge of their seats, eager to uncover how this tangled web of relationships will ultimately unravel.
Sara Lili
Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.