"So to start the system, all you have to do is enter the four-digit code that you chose and if you need to quickly alert the police in case of an emergency, you'll just enter 2-5-8-0, straight down the keypad." The technician instructs Taehyung and Ria as they carefully pay attention to how to properly work their newly installed security system.
After already running into a terrifying situation while Ria was left alone, Taehyung wasted no time in getting a security system installed right away, not caring how much it was going to cost him to do so. He had figured Miles was going to cause some kind of trouble at some point but he never thought he would go to the extent of entering their home without permission.
Granted, there was no solid evidence that it was Miles who brought the roses and the creepy as fuck unsigned note but with all of the out-of-the-box things happening since he showed back up, it wasn't hard for him to put two and two together. The unending phone calls, the black sedan Ria has mentioned she keeps seeing, the emails, gifts, other odd things, but this crossed a line beyond anything he imagined.
Saying their goodbyes to the technician, Taehyung wraps an arm around Ria and walks her over to the keypad, "Try it out. I'd rather have it set even if we're all home."
Pressing in the code they agreed upon, it sings a little happy chime confirming that the system is now active. Now, any time a door is opened, a window is lifted, or the garage is opened, there will be a sound alerting them. They both agreed to also always let the other know when they have come home so that neither one has to worry about who it is, especially Ria.
That night, she was unable to sleep. Every time she drifted off into a deep slumber, she would wake up frightened. Taehyung witnessed her dosing off time and time again until she eventually got up and started unpacking some more, just something to keep her mind occupied. He absolutely hated that she wasn't feeling safe in their new home and couldn't even enjoy their first night together within these four walls. Hopefully, now she can find some kind of peace again.
"I want to drive you to work tomorrow." Taehyung mentions as he sits down on the barstool at the kitchen island while watching Ria start to make dinner.
"I'll need my car to go meet clients and you'll need yours to go to job sites babe. We can't let fear stop us from living our lives." She argues although he can tell it's reluctantly.
Sighing, he nods his head. He'd much rather know she got to work and back safely, unsure what Miles may do next but until they have good evidence, there's nothing the cops can do to help a bad feeling. He already called and spoke to them about their suspicions that morning.
"Damnit, I need more olive oil." Ria groans as she searches through the cabinet again.
"Want me to go to the store? There's a little market not far from here." Taehyung offers, hoping that she'd be able to find some, not feeling too content with leaving her alone so soon.
"Would you mind?" She turns to look at him and sags her shoulders when she notices the crease in between his brows, "Babe, we have the security system now. Including cameras so if it's him or someone else, we'll be able to find out if anything else happens. You won't be gone too long."
Walking up to him, she wraps her arms around him as he looks up at her from his seat, "Could you tell Izzy to come hang out with you in the kitchen? I'd feel better at least knowing she wasn't alone either."
"Hey, Izzy baby?" Ria calls up to her playing in her room.
"Yes, mommy?"
"Wanna come down and help me get ready to make dinner?"
The sound of little footsteps rushing down the hallway upstairs makes both of them smile as Tae taps Ria's bottom, silently asking her to step back so that he could stand up. Grabbing his car keys from the little designated bowl, he walks to the french doors leading out to the backyard and makes sure they're locked, and checks the windows as well.
Izzy runs down the stairs being reprimanded by Ria the whole time for doing so but ignores her while she immediately grabs her child-sized apron from inside the pantry and climbs onto her step stool to get ready to help cook.
Satisfied with all of the doors and windows being fully shut, he walks over to Izzy to kiss the top of her head before placing a chaste kiss on Ria's cheek, "I'll be right back. I'll set the system as I leave. Call me if you need me."
"I will. Drive safe." Ria smiles at him before turning on the kitchen sink so that Izzy can wash her hands.
The short drive to the market made him feel a bit of relief, knowing he wouldn't be away from his girls for too long. Truth be told, he's not sure how he's going to get through all three of them being apart tomorrow when life has to go back to normal but all he can do is hope that nothing major happens again in his absence.
Walking in, his eyes roam the store in search of which direction he should go until the sign catches his eye. Headed straight to the aisle, he finds the usual bottle of olive oil Ria used to keep at her apartment and walks straight back up to the checkout area.
Pulling out his wallet from his back pocket, he proceeds to try to check his phone to make sure it wasn't on silent when he realizes it's nowhere to be found. A small twinge of anxiety pulls at him as he places the olive oil on the conveyor belt and watches it slowly move up to the cashier. He knew he had it with him when he left and for a moment, he considers going back to where the cooking oil is located to make sure he didn't accidentally set it down when he remembers placing it in the cup holder of his car.
Quickly paying and thanking the clerk, he walks as fast as he can without bumping into anyone but the moment he spots his car, his heart sinks at the sight.
He was in the store for no more than five minutes but even in that short amount of time, that asshole still managed to wreak havoc on their lives, and judging from the scratches deeply engraved along the side of his car, it's no secret that he followed him there.
Checking his surroundings before sitting down inside, he tosses the grocery bag onto the passenger seat and turns his car on, locking the door right away. He felt a mixture of relief and worry at the fact that Ria had not tried to call when he finally got the chance to look at his cellphone, unsure if everything was okay or not.
Speeding down the suburban streets, he ignores the honks from vehicles passing by and heads straight to their home to make sure everything is fine. His car can be fixed, that wasn't a worry for him at all but he felt like the two ladies in his life were more his responsibility now than ever.
Pulling into the driveway, he quickly shuts the garage door again and grabs his things as his heart thumps irregularly at all of the scenarios playing out in his mind but when he hears the sound of Ria and Izzy giggling before he reaches the door, he takes a deep breath and thanks the heavens everything is okay.
Ria looks over at him with her usual mega-watt smile as she holds the ball of dough in her flour-covered hands, "Hey," her expression faltering by the second as she watches him punch in the passcode on the security system so that it doesn't go off, "everything okay?"
Holding up the bag, he flits his eyes to Izzy and then back to her, "Got the olive oil! Izzy, how about you go clean up your room before dinner."
"But I'm helping mommy." She pouts, ignoring his request.
"Izzy..." He sternly warns her and she blows out a puff of air.
"Okay, Tae Tae." She hops down off of her little stool after washing off her hands again and places her apron on the counter.
Once she's out of earshot, Ria turns her attention back to Taehyung, "Okay, now tell me the truth."
"My car was scratched up while I was in the store." He whispers, setting the grocery bag on the counter.
"Like someone dinged it with their car door or something? That sucks." She goes back to preparing the food for tonight, not giving it much more thought.
"Um, not exactly. Like it was done on purpose, with a key or something. It's all down the side." Taehyung meets her gaze as she pops her head up to look him in the eyes.
"But you weren't even gone that long." Washing off her hands, she walks over to the door leading to the garage and flips on the light, her eyes immediately spotting the deep cuts into the paint and metal of his vehicle. Slices of silver glow angrily in contrast with the color of his car, "Baby, this isn't okay. It looks..."
"Violent." He finishes for her as she turns around to look back at him, "I'll see if there's any security footage that I can get from the store. Maybe that will help."
Her hands start to tremble as she balls them up into fists, gulping to try to still her nerves.
Wrapping her up in his arms, he kisses her forehead and waits for her to wrap her arms around him as well, "We'll be okay."
Looking back at the car and then back up at him, she shrugs her shoulders, "He wasn't like this before. I mean, he was an asshole, cheated on me, was a bit controlling but I never thought he'd start to do things like this. Had I known, I-"
Holding her face in his hands, he looks deeply into her eyes threatening to shed worried tears once again, "Hey, none of it is your fault, okay? People make their own choices."
"I just don't understand why."
"He wants what he can't have. Seems to me like somewhere down the line he became obsessed." Taehyung tucks hair behind her ear in the soothing way he always had done with her, "But don't worry about me. It's you and Izzy I'm worried about."
"Don't worry about you?" She furrows her brow and points to the car, "I got some creepy as flowers. He sliced your car up like he was threatening you and you expect me to not worry about you?! I worry about you regardless, even on a good day! This isn't just an overwhelming amount of phone calls from a private number and random sightings of a black sedan anymore, Taehyung."
"I know." He whispers and turns off the light to the garage before grabbing her hand to walk back into the house, "We'll figure it out. Just like everything else."
Nodding, she takes a deep breath and washes her hands again before going back to rolling out the dough, this time with more much more force as she lets out her frustrations on something physical. Pausing her actions, she hangs her head as she tries to calm herself down, "I'm the most scared for Izzy."
"Maybe we should have her go stay with Aunt Gigi and your parents for a little while. I'm sure after we tell them what's going on, they'll be more than willing to." Taehyung suggests.
"Yeah, you're right. I'll call my mom after dinner and come up with a game plan. If she does take Izzy, I want to make sure he doesn't know. Even if that means using myself as a distraction."
"What do you mean?" His skin prickles with a feeling of pins and needles by the words that left her mouth.
Shrugging, she shakes her head, "Maybe I'll meet up with him or something or... I don't know. All I know is my- our daughter has to be safe by any means necessary."
"We'll talk to your mom and see what she thinks. Fuck," he curses quietly as he grips onto his hair, "I feel useless."
"You're far from useless, baby." She consoles him with a reassuring tone. Izzy comes rushing back down the stairs to see how the food is coming along and Taehyung immediately changes his expression to keep his worries hidden away from the little girl he adores so much as she sits down on the barstool beside him with her short legs swinging, "Izzy, why don't you stir the pizza sauce for me again. Tae, could you grate the cheese?"
Grabbing the bowl for Izzy to give her something to do to keep her occupied, Taehyung grabs the block of mozzarella and cheese grater to start doing as he was asked. Out of the corner of his eye, he sees Izzy smiling up at him so he looks back at her with a wink.
"I'm glad we're a family now." She states with a little happy wiggle of her shoulders.
"Me, too." Ria chimes in with a soft smile.
"Me three," Taehyung adds with a chuckle before meeting Ria's eyes with a nod of his head to let her know everything is going to be okay.