All Chapters of A Man in Distress: Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

CHAPTER 22 — LianaThe morning air was crisp as I stepped into Delgado & Reyes Law, my briefcase swinging lightly at my side. The building’s familiar hum felt different today — charged, anticipatory, almost electric. I could feel it in my chest, a subtle premonition that today would test more than just my legal acumen.Ethan met me at the elevator, adjusting the strap of his bag casually, his expression unreadable but alert. “Morning,” he said softly. “Big day ahead. Evan’s playing hard today. You’ll need focus, precision, and calm.”I inhaled slowly, bracing myself. “I’m ready,” I said, though my pulse betrayed a faint tremor. “I’ve prepared, reviewed every clause, every precedent.”Ethan’s eyes softened. “Prepared, yes. But remember — strategy isn’t just preparation. It’s awareness. Anticipation. Control.”I nodded, feeling a subtle warmth of reassurance. “Control, awareness, anticipation.”“Exactly,” he said, a

CHAPTER 24 — LianaThe morning sunlight streamed through the tall windows of Delgado & Reyes Law, painting golden streaks across the polished floor. It was impossible not to feel the weight of the day ahead. Today’s session against Ramos & Associates promised to be another grueling test — not just of legal skill, but of strategy, precision, and composure.I gripped my briefcase tighter than usual, taking a deep breath before stepping into the elevator. The city outside felt alive with energy, but all I could focus on was the courtroom, the tension, and the subtle pull of history that Evan Ramos always carried with him.Ethan was waiting by the elevator, looking every bit the composed, meticulous attorney he always was. “Morning,” he said softly, his voice a calm anchor against the rising storm of nerves in my chest.“Morning,” I replied, my voice steady but betraying a flicker of anticipation. “I’ve reviewed everything. Every c

CHAPTER 26 — LianaThe courtroom no longer felt like neutral ground.It hadn’t for a while now.Every time I stepped inside, it was as though the air thickened charged not just with legal strategy and professional rivalry, but with the weight of everything Evan and I refused to say. Every argument carried subtext. Every objection felt personal. Every glance lingered longer than it should.Today was no different.If anything, it was worse.I stood at the plaintiff’s table, fingers lightly curled around my pen, posture composed even as my pulse hammered beneath my ribs. Across the aisle, Evan Ramos adjusted his cufflinks with meticulous precision, the movement sharp, controlled too controlled. The kind of restraint that signaled something simmering just beneath the surface.War.Not just in court.Between us.Ethan leaned slightly toward me, voice low. “He’s already irritated. You can see it in his shoulders.”“I see it,” I murmured back. “He’s going to push harder today.”“Let him,” Et

CHAPTER 28 — LianaBy the third consecutive week of hearings, the courtroom stopped feeling like a place of justice and started feeling like a pressure chamber.Every day added weight.Every argument stacked on top of the last until even breathing felt deliberate.I arrived earlier than usual that morning, heels echoing sharply against the marble floor as I crossed the hallway outside the courtroom. My coffee sat untouched in my hand, already cooling. Sleep had been scarce. My dreams when they came at all were crowded with fragments of testimony, objections, and Evan’s voice slipping between professional cadence and something far too familiar.You’re not as untouched as you pretend.The words had followed me home.They followed me now.Inside the courtroom, Evan was already there.That alone set my nerves on edge.He stood near the defense table, sleeves rolled up, jack

CHAPTER 30 — LianaThe morning Evan finally broke, the courtroom felt different.Not louder.Not more crowded.Heavier.Like everyone clerks, reporters, even the bailiff sensed something was about to snap.I stood outside the courtroom doors, reviewing my notes for the hundredth time without actually reading them. The words blurred together: dates, clauses, precedents I could recite in my sleep. My hands were steady, but my chest felt tight, breath shallow.Ethan stood beside me, jacket slung over his arm, eyes sharp and observant.“He’s going to try something today,” he said quietly.“I know,” I replied. “He doesn’t have many moves left.”“And the ones he does have?” Ethan asked.“Desperation,” I said. “Ego.”Ethan’s jaw tightened. “Those are dangerous tools.”The doors opened.And there he was.Evan stood at the defense table, head b