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2025-12-13 10:30:49CHAPTER 6 — The Weight of Staying
Liana POVWhen the last of the guests finally left the Ramos residence, silence fell over the house like dust settling after an explosion. Everywhere I looked, grief lingered in the corners—half-finished cups of coffee abandoned on tables, tissues stuffed between couch cushions, flowers beginning to wilt from too many hands touching them.I stood at the foot of the stairs, holding a small stuffed unicorn Ava had brought to the funeral, now limp from being clutched all day. Its fur was matted from her tears.A door closed softly behind me.Damien.His footsteps were heavier than usual—slower, dragging, almost defeated. When he reached me, he exhaled a long, uneven breath, loosening his tie as if it were strangling him.“She wants you upstairs,” he murmured.I nodded.He didn’t move. Not yet. He just stood there, looking at the floor like the wor
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A Man in Distress 21
CHAPTER 21 — LianaThe office felt unusually quiet this morning, almost serene compared to the intensity of yesterday’s courtroom session. I walked down the hallway of Delgado & Reyes Law, briefcase in hand, letting the subtle hum of fluorescent lights and the soft tapping of keyboards in the distance ground me. For a moment, I allowed myself to breathe, to savor the calm before the storm.Ethan appeared beside me at the elevator, coffee in hand, hair slightly tousled, eyes sharp and focused as always. “Good morning,” he said smoothly, offering a faint smile.“Morning,” I replied, adjusting the strap of my bag. My chest still felt the residual tightness from the rooftop encounter with Evan yesterday. The pull, the tension, the acknowledgment of history and boundaries — it lingered, subtle yet persistent.“You handled that rooftop encounter remarkably well,” Ethan said softly as we stepped into the elevator. “Acknowledgment with
A Man in Distress 20
CHAPTER 20 — LianaThe late afternoon sunlight spilled across the rooftop garden of the office building, warm and deceptive in its serenity. I walked along the narrow stone path, hands gripping my bag, trying to clear my mind. The day had been long, exhausting, and emotionally draining. Courtroom battles with Evan, cross-examinations, unexpected twists — I was proud of my performance, but my chest still felt tight with the residual tension that seemed impossible to shake.I paused near a low hedge, taking a deep breath. The city stretched below me, distant traffic and muffled voices fading into background noise. For a moment, I imagined I could just… let everything go. Forget history, rivalry, tension, and the pull Evan always seemed to exert over me.But of course, Evan Ramos wasn’t about to make that easy.---I hadn’t expected to see him here. Yet, leaning casually against the railing on the opposite side of th
A Man in Distress 19
CHAPTER 19 — LianaThe courtroom felt smaller today, though the space hadn’t changed. The air was thick with anticipation, tension, and the quiet hum of lawyers moving about, preparing for the session. I gripped my notes tightly, my fingers brushing against the edge of the folder like it was a lifeline.Ethan was beside me, calm as ever, reviewing the case files with his characteristic meticulousness. He noticed my grip tighten and looked up, eyes sharp.“Deep breath,” he said softly. “Today is just another session. You know the material, you know the strategy. Focus.”“I know,” I whispered, but the flutter in my chest betrayed me.Evan was already in the courtroom when we arrived. He didn’t look at me at first, instead reviewing documents with the kind of intensity that had always unsettled me. Then, as if sensing my presence, his gaze flicked up — sharp, assessing, and inescapable.I squared my shoulders, remindi
A Man in Distress 18
CHAPTER 18 — LianaThe café smelled of freshly brewed coffee, sugar, and warm pastries, a comforting chaos that contrasted sharply with the rigid formality of the courtroom. I perched on a stool near the counter, reviewing my notes, trying to focus. But the moment I glanced up, I saw him.Damien Evan Ramos.Not in a suit, not behind a courtroom desk, not in his familiar environment of control and precision. Just… him. Leaning casually against the counter, dark hair slightly tousled, eyes scanning the menu, expression unreadable. For a fraction of a second, I felt the old pull — the one that made my chest tighten, my pulse accelerate, the one I had spent weeks convincing myself I could control.I turned back to my notes, fingers gripping the pen like a lifeline. Focus. Strategy. Composure. But even as I repeated it to myself, I couldn’t ignore the small, almost imperceptible smile he gave when he noticed me.Ethan’
A Man in Distress 17
CHAPTER 17 — LianaThe office was quiet, almost unnervingly so. Most of the attorneys had gone for the day, leaving only the faint hum of the air conditioning and the soft tapping of keyboards in the background. I leaned back in my chair, rubbing my temples, trying to shake the lingering tension from today’s courtroom session.I had faced Evan Ramos directly — not just professionally, but emotionally, though I’d convinced myself that I kept that separate. And yet, I couldn’t shake the pull of him. The way he observed me, the faint acknowledgment of respect or recognition… it unnerved me more than I cared to admit.Ethan appeared beside me, leaning casually against my desk. His presence, as always, grounded me.“You’re quiet again,” he said, tone light but perceptive.I frowned. “I’m just… thinking.”He raised an eyebrow. “About the case?”I shook my head. “Not just the case. About him. About… everything.”
A Man in Distress 16
CHAPTER 16 — LianaThe courtroom smelled of polished wood and old leather, the kind of smell that felt both grounding and suffocating at the same time. I adjusted my blazer, gripping my notes like a lifeline. Today’s session wasn’t just another hearing — it was critical. The evidence we’d been building, the strategies we’d painstakingly rehearsed, all converged now.And there he was. Damien Evan Ramos. Calm, precise, and impossibly self-assured. Sitting at the defense table, his dark eyes scanning the courtroom, then briefly flicking to me. That half-second glance sent a familiar shiver through me, a mix of irritation, unease, and something else I refused to name.I squared my shoulders. Focus. Strategy. Composure.Ethan was beside me, the reassuring weight of his presence grounding me. “Ready?” he murmured.“As I’ll ever be,” I whispered, though my voice caught slightly.He gave me a small, confident nod. “Go
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