All Chapters of A Man in Distress: Chapter 31 - Chapter 40

CHAPTER 32 — LianaI didn’t realize how deeply Maya had anchored herself into my routine until one morning passed without her.No small voice asking if lawyers ever cried.No crayon drawings left behind on my coffee table.No soft weight leaning against my arm while cartoons played in the background.The silence felt wrong.I sat at my kitchen counter, staring at my phone, pretending not to notice how many times I checked it half-expecting a message from Evan saying she missed me, or that she wanted to show me something new she’d learned, or that she’d asked for me by name.Nothing came.And that should’ve relieved me.Instead, it unsettled me.Work pulled me back into focus at least on the surface.Ethan assigned me lead responsibility on a new civil rights case, one with national attention already circling it like vultures. It should have thrilled me. Months

CHAPTER 34 — LianaThe quiet after Evan left my apartment felt heavier than his presence.It lingered in the corners of the room, pressed against my chest, crawled beneath my skin like something unfinished. I stood by the door long after it closed, my hand still hovering near the lock as if I might open it again.I didn’t.I couldn’t.Because if I did, I wasn’t sure I’d stop.By morning, the city looked deceptively normal.Cars honked. Coffee shops buzzed. People laughed into their phones like nothing inside them was unraveling.I showered, dressed, and rehearsed neutrality like it was a skill I could master if I practiced hard enough.By the time I reached Delgado & Reyes, I was composed.By the time I saw Ethan, I was lying to myself.He stood at the glass wall of his office, jacket off, sleeves rolled, posture immaculate. When his eyes met mine, th

CHAPTER 36 — LianaThe office smelled of leather, polished wood, and something distinctly Evan. I hated that I could recognize it anywhere.He was sitting behind his desk, shoulders slightly slumped, papers scattered in front of him—but his attention wasn’t on them. It was on me, the way it always seemed to be when I walked in.“Sit,” he said quietly, gesturing to the chair across from him. His voice didn’t carry the usual authority. It was low, almost fragile.I hesitated, then lowered myself into the chair.“I’m not going to start with work,” he said. “I… I need to talk about Maya. About everything.”I nodded carefully. “Okay.”He took a deep breath. “She asked me last night why you’re here. Why you stayed in her life after… everything. And I didn’t have an answer. Because the truth is…” His voice faltered. “I’ve been too afraid to say anything. To you. To myself. But I miss her. I miss you. And I… I’m f

CHAPTER 38 — LianaThe night air felt heavier than usual as I walked toward Evan’s apartment. The city lights reflected off the wet pavement from an earlier rain, shimmering like fragments of memories I hadn’t wanted to revisit.Maya had already gone to bed, insisting I tell her a story tomorrow about “cookies and superheroes.” I smiled at the thought but pushed it aside. Right now, all I could think about was Evan.When I knocked, he opened the door almost immediately. No smile. No casual greeting. Just that weight in his eyes—raw, unfiltered.“Liana,” he said, voice low, carrying both relief and tension.“Evan,” I said softly, stepping inside. The familiar scent of his apartment—wood, leather, and something uniquely him—hit me immediately. I hated that I recognized it. I hated that it made my chest ache.He closed the door behind me. “I… I didn’t expect you tonight,” he admitted. “I didn’t even know if you w

CHAPTER 40 — LianaThe courtroom smelled of polished wood, leather, and nerves. My hands were gripping the folder so tightly that the edges creased. I kept glancing at the clock, every tick echoing in my chest like a countdown.Evan was already there, standing near the plaintiff’s table, calm, composed or at least appearing to be. His eyes found mine as I walked in, and for a moment, everything else vanished. The courtroom, the people, the papers it was just him, standing there, solid and complicated, and terrifyingly close.Ethan was sitting at Delgado & Reyes’ table, reviewing notes, but the tension radiating off him was palpable. He didn’t glance at me, but I could feel his awareness, his calculation, the quiet storm behind his poised exterior.I swallowed hard and took a deep breath.“Miss Liana Delgado?” the judge’s voice called, pulling me back to the present.“Yes, Your Honor,” I said, my