All Chapters of A Man in Distress: Chapter 71 - Chapter 80

CHAPTER 71 Liana Pov The morning after the Delgado scandal broke, the city felt different.I could hear it in the streets—the quiet hum of speculation, the whispered conversations that trailed behind strangers like smoke. Cafés and newsstands were littered with the latest headlines. People I had passed a thousand times glanced at me with recognition I wasn’t ready to own. The rumor mill churned fast, faster than I could process.And yet… I felt oddly grounded.For the first time in weeks, I had a sense of control. Not over Marcus, not over Evan, not over Ethan—but over myself.I poured a cup of coffee, letting the bitter warmth anchor me. My phone buzzed on the counter. A flurry of texts this time. Some congratulatory, some demanding, some accusatory.The first was from Ethan:Ethan: You okay? I’m heading your way.I paused, finger hovering over the screen. For weeks, I’d kept him

CHAPTER 73 Liana Pov The morning sunlight spilled across my apartment, sharp and insistent, but I barely noticed it. My mind was still tangled in yesterday’s chaos, replaying every moment of the NBI briefing, the press coverage, the reactions I’d seen online.The city outside moved with its usual rhythm, indifferent to the storm I had just survived. I envied that indifference.My phone buzzed repeatedly. I ignored it at first, focusing on brewing coffee. But by the fourth message, I gave in.Ethan: You need to see this. Now.I frowned, my stomach tightening. He didn’t text like that lightly.Me: What happened?No immediate reply. Then another buzz:Ethan: Just… trust me. Come to the NBI office. Now.I grabbed my bag, sliding my laptop and documents inside. My pulse accelerated, but this time, it wasn’t fear—it was resolve. Whatever was happening, I wouldn’t run. Not anymo

CHAPTER 75 Liana PovThe city had an almost mocking calm that morning. The streets moved as usual, the sky painted in shades of pale blue and gold, but inside my apartment, the tension was electric. Marcus Delgado’s empire was teetering, and the next moves we made could either finalize his downfall or give him just enough room to claw back.I sat at the dining table, surrounded by stacks of files, laptop screens glowing with email chains, financial statements, and witness statements. Ethan was beside me, leaning over my shoulder, scrolling through a particularly dense spreadsheet.“Look here,” he said, pointing at a series of transactions. “Marcus attempted to move funds through a third-party account last night. If this succeeds, he could claim financial irregularities were due to external mismanagement, not him.”I frowned. “Then we need to lock it down immediately. Trace every account, every wire transfer, ever

CHAPTER 77 Liana PovThe city felt heavier that morning, as if it knew what was coming. I could sense it in the stillness of the air, the way the wind shifted through the streets, and the muted hum of traffic outside my apartment window. Marcus Delgado was cornered, but cornered predators were the most dangerous kind.Ethan arrived earlier than usual, his presence calm but purposeful. He didn’t speak at first, only setting a stack of files on the kitchen table. I followed him, coffee in hand, trying to match his focus.“Morning,” he said, finally. “We’ve got a situation.”I raised an eyebrow. “Situation? You mean Marcus?”He nodded. “Exactly. He’s not going quietly. Rumors are flying that he’s trying to manipulate a key witness outside official channels. Someone he believes we can’t protect.”I froze for a moment, the weight of the words settling. “Outside the NBI’s reach?”“Poten

CHAPTER 79 Liana PovThe next morning, the city seemed quieter than usual, almost holding its breath, as if aware of the climax we were approaching. The court had scheduled a pre-trial hearing for Marcus Delgado, and every detail we had prepared—the evidence, the witness testimonies, the media coordination—was about to be scrutinized under the public eye.Ethan arrived at my apartment before dawn. I was already awake, sifting through documents, double-checking every fact, every email chain, every bank record. My fingers felt stiff from the hours of typing and highlighting, but I couldn’t stop. Not now. Not when Marcus Delgado’s empire of lies was finally unraveling.“You’ve been at it for hours,” Ethan remarked, concern threading his voice as he entered, carrying a briefcase and coffee. “You need to eat something before the court. Focus is useless on an empty stomach.”I managed a small smile. “I’m fine. Just… making