For Everything I Am | KTH 18+ ✔

Chapter Fifty-Three

Yesterday, after they got back home from picking out furniture, they received an unpleasant call from the attorney that the charges were unsurprisingly dropped but the protection order was at least granted. However, regardless of this news, Taehyung and Ria had no choice but to go back to their normal schedules including going to work. Neither of their bosses were going to allow them to be out of work for too long and bills still needed to be paid.

That morning, the two of them got dressed and ate breakfast in damn near silence with only a few quiet excuses me's shared and asking each other to pass the cereal. Ria attempted to softly smile at him a few times as an attempt to get him to believe that she was mentally okay with moving on with life but she tends to forget that he can see right through her.

When the call from the attorney came through and with the unappealing added information of Miles being released from jail late last night, they had agreed to keep Izzy in their parent's care a little bit longer. He knew how much it hurt her to come to that decision. There was no doubt in his mind that she was missing Isabelle so much that it hurt as he was too, but keeping her safe was their first priority.

Tae just hopes they can keep themselves safe as well.

The protection order, while better than nothing at all, did little to ease their minds. What would Ria do if Miles showed up unexpectedly just like he did a week ago? Throw the paper in his face? Yes, it does make it easier for him to get arrested if he pulls another stunt but who's to say that she would be able to stay safe?

Pulling into her building, Taehyung shuts off his car and walks around to open the door for her while she finishes applying her mascara in the visor mirror. At least for now, Taehyung made it a point that he would drop her off, walk her to her office, and pick her up from work every day. He may have failed to keep her safe the first time but he'd be damned if he lets it happen again.

Walking right behind her and scanning the parking garage for anything out of the ordinary or the black sedan Ria has mentioned, his ears catch the sound of her breathing becoming more and more unsteady as they approach the elevator doors. Stopping in her tracks, she turns to face Taehyung while her eyes glistened with tears and her hands began shaking at her sides, breaking his heart at the sight of her desperately trying to not fall apart again.

"I- I, uh..." She struggles to find the words, her bottom lip quivering as she fights back her emotions.

"I'm here." He whispers, pulling her into his arms to try to calm her panic-stricken state, "I'll be here the whole time."

Nodding, she sniffles as he wipes away the small tear at the corner of her eye, careful to not mess up her makeup.

Taehyung wasn't even around that day, yet just knowing that he's standing right where everything went down makes him feel uneasy. He can't even begin to imagine the anxiety the woman still being held in his arms must be going through. Staring up at the elevator doors, he can almost picture the entire thing as the details she told both him and the police echo in his mind.

The things he would do to go back to that day to save the woman he loves from harm.

"Do you think he'll show up again, even with the order?" She questions quietly as she watches other employees nonchalantly walk towards the elevator as well.

He wants to tell her that she has nothing to worry about but how could he lie to her like that? Truth be told, he has no clue what extent Miles will take this obsession he has with Victoria. Aside from that, he doesn't want her to let her guard down so soon because, in just a few minutes, they will be parting ways for the next few hours, and for the first time since Miles laid his filthy hands on her, Tae won't be around.