you and Riki are first time parents of your one month old daughter Naya. everything is new and a little chaotic, but in a good way.
✿ pairing: babydaddy!riki x reader
contains: pure fluff established relationship riki and reader have a daughter ᰔ
⊹
The front door clicks open a little before five, and you don’t even look up from the stove because you already know it’s him.
Your baby Naya’s been fussing for the past ten minutes, crying every time she’s not in your arms. So here you are stirring pasta with one hand, resting her on your hip with the other.
“Hey,” Riki calls out, shoes getting kicked off somewhere in the hallway. “I’m home.”
“I’m in the kitchen, baby,” you answer, shifting Naya higher up on your. hip. Her tiny fist gripping the fabric of your shirt.
He appears a second later, bag still slung over his shoulder, hair messy from the day. The second he sees you struggling with a pot, a spoon, and a baby, his expression softens completely.
“Oh—” he starts, already stepping closer. “Hey, hey.”
You lean toward him so he can kiss you, his lips brushing yours softly. Before he can even pull away, you sigh.
“Can you take her? She’s getting heavy.”
“Yeah, yeah, I got her,” he says immediately, sliding his hands under Naya and taking her from your arms. She settles against his chest the moment he has her.
“There you go,” he murmurs, voice dropping into that really soft tone he only uses with her. “Hi, angel. Daddy missed you so much today.”
Naya lets out a tiny sound and his face lights up like she just told him a secret.
“Did you hear that?” he asks you, eyes wide. “She knows i’m her dad.”
You snort, turning back to the stove. “She made the exact same noise when Jay held her.”
“That’s different,” he says seriously, adjusting her so her head rests under his chin. “He didn’t help make her.”
He sways gently from side to side without even thinking about it, one hand supporting her back, the other patting her butt in a slow rhythm. You watch him for a second longer than you mean to, the way his shoulders relax now that he’s holding her.
“So,” he says, glancing over at you. “How was your day, mama?”
You let out a breathy laugh. “Chaotic.”
He winces sympathetically. “Yeah?”
“She cried all afternoon,” you add. “Wouldn’t nap unless I was holding her. The second I put her down—” you make a little exploding motion with your hand. “I ended up just laying down with her.”
Riki clicks his tongue sympathetically. “Little drama queen. Gets that from you.”
He grins, then looks back down at Naya. “Were you crying a lot today, huh? Giving mommy a hard time?”
Naya blinks up at him, completely unimpressed.
He shifts her slightly so she’s facing you both and tilts her toward the stove. “Look, angel. You see that? Mommy’s cooking pasta for us. She’s been doing everything today.”
He looks back at you. “She’s calm.”
“Yeah. For now,” you say. “I’m not trusting it.”
“She’s calm because i’m holding her.” He jokes. You roll your eyes, smiling.
He presses a quick kiss to your cheek. His hand settles at your waist, thumb rubbing there while he talks.
He watches her face for a second, then looks back at you. “You okay though?”
You nod. “Yeah. Just tired.”
He straightens, adjusting Naya in his arms. “Alright. You cook. I’ll walk her around a bit.”
By the time dinner’s done and Naya’s fed, Riki clears the table without being asked, scraping plates and sliding everything into the dishwasher. You hear cabinets opening and closing while you’re already in the bathroom, getting things ready.
You fill the small baby tub in the sink, checking the temperature with your own hand. Not too hot, not too cold. You lay out her towel on the dresser nearby, tiny pajamas folded next to it, diaper ready.
Naya fusses a little when you undress her, her face scrunching up like she’s about to cry. “I know, I know,” you murmur, lowering her into the water slowly. “Just a bath, baby. Promise.”
Once she’s in, she relaxes almost immediately. Her arms float, legs kicking gently, and you smile without even realizing it. You wash her carefully, talking to her the whole time like she understands every word.
“Long day, huh?” you whisper. “You tired now?”
She makes a small noise, blinking up at you, and you lean closer. “Yeah, that’s what I thought. Mommy’s gonna give you your bottle after this and then you’ll fall right asleep.”
Riki shows up in the doorway a few minutes later. “How’s it going in here?”
“She’s being good,” you say. “Can you grab her in a sec? I’ll get her bottle ready.”
He nods and steps closer. “Yeah, I got her.”
You lift Naya carefully and hand her to him, still warm and damp. He takes her with both arms, she’s already smiling at him.
“I’ll be right back,” you say, already turning away.
Riki lays her down gently on the dresser, patting her dry with slo. “Okay,” he says softly. “Let’s get you ready for bed.”
He wraps her in the towel, pulling the little teddy bear hood over her head. It’s slightly too big, slipping down over her forehead, and he chuckles softly as he adjusts it.
“Look at you,” he says quietly. “All clean.”
He lifts her against his chest and starts pacing the bathroom, small steps, swaying side to side.
“Are you gonna let mommy and daddy sleep tonight, angel?”
“I doubt that.” You say with a smile as you step in and reach out to take her from Riki.
The bottle’s ready by the time you carry Naya into her room, the lights dimmed low. You change her slowly, slipping her into her sleeping bag and settling into the chair next to the crib. She latches onto the bottle easily, eyes already heavy, her tiny hand resting against your finger.
You sway a little as she drinks, humming under your breath without really thinking about it.
She’s almost done when Riki quietly steps into the doorway.
You immediately shoot him a look and lift a finger. “Shh.”
He freezes mid-step, and he nods. He walks over slowly, like the floor might creak if he’s not careful.
When Naya’s eyes finally close, you stand carefully, holding her close. Riki leans in and presses a gentle kiss to her forehead, barely touching her.
“Night, angel,” he whispers.
You lower her into the crib, hovering for a second just to make sure she stays asleep. She doesn’t stir.
Back in the living room, you collapse onto the couch without a word. You turn the TV volume down and settle between Riki’s legs, his back against the armrest, your head resting against his chest. He automatically reaches up, fingers combing through your hair, slow and familiar.
You melt into it almost immediately.
A few minutes pass. Your breathing evens out, your body getting heavier against him. He notices before you’re fully asleep, his thumb brushing your temple.
“Baby,” he murmurs softly. “Let’s go to bed.”
You hum in response, barely awake.
He smiles to himself. “We’re both tired,” he adds. “And she’s gonna wake us up in like three hours anyway.”
You nod against his chest, eyes closed, already half gone. He gives your hair one last gentle stroke before shifting carefully.
“Come on,” he whispers.
You barely talk while getting ready for bed. Brushing teeth side by side, changing into pj’s.
You crawl into bed first and roll onto your side, slipping one leg over his. He pulls you closer without thinking, arm settling around your waist like it belongs there. You press a quick kiss to his lips, sleepy and warm.
“Goodniht,” you murmur.
“Night, baby,” he answers, already half out.
Sleep comes fast.
A sharp, loud cry cuts through your sleep a few hours later.
You both stir, no one moves right away. You groan into the pillow, half-awake, delusional enough to think maybe she’ll stop on her own if you don’t move. Riki shifts beside you, dragging the blanket up like it might block the sound.
The cry comes again, louder.
You mumble “She’s crying.”
He lets out a long breath through his nose. “Mmh. I know.”
Another scream.
You nudge his side with your knee, signing for him to go.
He rolls onto his back “You go.”
You crack one eye open. “No. I went yesterday.”
He turns his head toward you, eyes barely open. “I’ll do it for the rest of the week if you go right now.”
You shake your head and make a fake exaggerated snoring sound.
There’s a dramatic sigh before he pushing himself up.
You smile into the pillow as he drags himself out of bed.
You hear his footsteps down the hall. The door to Naya’s room opens, and a moment later you hear his voice through the baby monitor. “Hey Naya… hey, it’s okay. Daddy’s here.”
He lifts her carefully, cradling her against his chest. “What’s all this about, huh?” he whispers. “It’s the middle of the night.”
The crying doesn’t stop.
He sways slowly, pacing the room. “Shh… shh. I got you. It’s okay.” He presses his cheek to her hair, rocking her back and forth. “Sleep babygirl…”
He tries the pacifier. She takes it for half a second then spits it out and wails louder.
He exhales a tired laugh. “Okay. Got it.”
He sits down on the edge of the bed, bouncing her softly on his knee. “What do you want from me, hm?” he murmurs. “I’m doing my best here.”
He stands again, walking slow circles around the room, whispering nonsense to her, anything that might work.
“Shh Naya… yeah… daddy’s got you…”
Five minutes pass. She’s still upset. You hear it all from the bedroom. The crying hasn’t softened at all.
With a sigh, you push yourself out of bed.
The door to Naya’s room is open. Riki’s standing there, rocking her, looking tired but patient.
“She won’t—” he starts, then stops when you step closer.
You take her from his arms without a word.
“Shh sweetie, mommy’s here.”
Almost instantly, the crying softens. Then quiets. Her body relaxes against you like she’s been waiting for this.
Riki blinks. “You’re kidding.”
You sway gently, “Don’t be mad at me,” you whisper. “Be mad at her.”
Her body relaxes in your arms. “Shhh…” You whisper once more to Naya.
He watches for a second, then shakes his head with a tired laugh. “Does she hate me or what.”
“She doesn’t,” you say softly. “She’s just a mama’s girl.”
He snorts. “Nah. She’s definitely a daddy’s girl.”
You glance at him, smiling. You turn and show him Naya’s sleepy eyes in your arms. “You see that? Mama’s girl.”
“Alright then. Next time, I’m pretending I didn’t hear anything.”
You snort quietly. “Sure you are.”
Riki steps closer, carefully helping you lay her back down in the crib.
—
The next morning the baby monitor cracks softly. No crying, just little noises and rustling.
Riki blinks awake, eyes still heavy, listening.
She’s awake. He has like 5 minutes to get her out of bed before she starts crying.
He glances at the clock, he looked but his mind didn’t process the time, he believes he saw an 8. You’re still asleep, arm draped over his waist, breathing slow and even. He smiles to himself and carefully slides out from under your hold.
He slips out of the bedroom and into Naya’s room, closing the door softly behind him. He pulls the curtaint open just enough to let the morning light in.
Naya’s already wide awake, kicking her legs, eyes bright when she spots him.
“Hi angel,” he whispers, instantly softer. “Good morning.”
He leans over the crib and picks her up, tucking her against his chest. She lets out a little sound that almost sounds like a laugh, lips curling up in a gummy smile.
“Oh, yeah?” he murmurs. “You’re happy to see me now?”
He rocks her gently, pacing the room. “Mama’s still sleeping, okay? We’re gonna let her sleep.”
He looks down at her little face. “You hungry?” he asks quietly. “Yeah. Thought so.”
He carries her into the living room and sets her gently in the playpen, dropping a toy near her so she’s distracted for a second. He moves around the kitchen, preparing her bottle on autopilot, still half asleep.
Once it’s ready, he scoops her back up and settles onto the couch, turning the TV on low. Some random comedy show fills the room, entertaining enough for now.
He props her in his arm and feeds her, watching her drink while his head leans back against the couch. His eyes keep slipping shut, then opening again, making sure she’s okay.
“Big breakfast today?,” he murmurs. “All that crying got you hungry.”
After she finishes, he slides down so he’s lying back on the couch, a pillow under his head. He places her on his chest, holding her securely so she’s sitting on his chest.
She stares at his face like it’s the most interesting thing in the world.
He wiggles his fingers in front of her. “What?” he asks softly. “You got something to say?”
She answers with little noises, her tiny hands grab his fingers.
He laughs quietly. “Yeah? That’s crazy. Tell me more.”
She babbles again, completely serious.
He nods along like he understands every word. “Mm. You’re a daddy’s girl, huh Naya?”
She lets out a high pitched noise in return. Riki smiles and nods. “Yeah that’s right. Don’t tell mama.”
Riki doesn’t even remember falling asleep.
One second he’s blinking at the TV, listening to Naya’s tiny sounds, the next his eyes are closed and he’s passed out on the couch. His head tilts slightly to the side, mouth parted just a little. Naya stays awake though, calm, resting on his chest. One of his arms is still wrapped around her, hand firm against her back, holding her there on pure instinct.
Ten minutes later, you wake up to an empty spot beside you.
The bedroom is quiet. Naya isn’t crying. That’s what makes your heart speed up just a little. You slip out of bed and peek into her room. Empty.
You head towards the living room, and the moment you see them, your chest tightens in the best way.
Riki is sprawled across the couch, completely knocked out, one arm curled around your daughter. Naya’s lying on her stomach on his chest, awake and peaceful.
Your heart flutters, you pull your phone out without thinking and take a picture.
Then you step closer and carefully slide Naya out of his arms.
“Good morning, baby,” you whisper to her, pressing a kiss to her cheek. “Did daddy feed you already?”
She makes a small noise in response.
You smile and glance back at Riki. “Yeah, he’s tired,” you murmur. “You’ve been waking him up every night.”
You place Naya into the playpen and head into the kitchen. You make breakfast without much thought, ccereal for yourself, a sandwich for him.
When you’re done, he’s still asleep, taking up most of the couch.
You carry his plate over and set it on the small table, then look down at him for a second, amused.
Then you climb right on top of him.
He groans immediately, brows furrowing, hands lifting instinctively to your hips.
“Excuse me, sir,” you say softly. “Move your long legs out of the way.”
He groans, eyes still closed. “Mm… five more minutes.”
“You already took fifteen.”
He squints one eye open, then the other, finally registering you sitting on him. “Hmm,” he mutters. “Good morning to me.”
“You fed the baby and passed out?” you say, leaning down.
He scoffs, rubbing his face. “Mhm.”
He pulls you down into his chest, arms wrapping around you.
You press a kiss against his jaw. “I made you breakfast.”
“Thank you baby.” He mumbles with his eyes closed, no intention of getting up just yet.
You’re tired, he’s tired. You rest on his chest for a second, listening to his heartbeat, the quiet sounds of Naya in the background, the morning sun filling the room.
You both might fall asleep again while the breakfast is waiting to be eaten, but you don’t really care. You just want this moment to last a little longer.
hi hi! this is shineonenha, a blog created for readers and authors on enhablr to share positivity and love about other authors and fics posted so we can get our minds off the recent bout of negativity here in the community!
anyone is able to share their love about anything enhablr-related as long as it doesn’t include dark content or anything that might include dark content, and we hope that it can bring a little brightness to everyone’s day as a way to encourage and recognize people here in the community!
you’re more than welcome to share this or do anything really! tysm for your time reading! ^^
much love,
@shineonenha
omg i’m so late to this i’m so sorry! i wanna shout out @prettybs for being the kindest spirit ever and being so kind, loving, and welcoming. she is such a great person and i think more people should recognize her 💝💝 literally one of my first moots and she is the kindest soul ever. i love my vaeh sm and she always handles everything with a kind approach while remaining so effortlessly funny and sweet. i’m so glad she’s come into my life and she’s truly the best <3 i love you wifey vaehhhhhh
when you and riki finally get to begin building a peaceful future, something threatens to destroy it all.
⌛️pairing: yakuzahusband!riki x yakuzawife!reader
contains: fluff heavy angst hurt pregnancy betrayal reader gets held hostage threats violence stalking stab wound blood murder character death no happy ending
🗒️vaeh’s note: this is first heavy angst I've written and omg guys I was tearing up writing this im deadass.
its even better if you start from part one! but its not necessary for this fic.
The past three months had honestly been the best three months of your marriage.
Not perfect, Riki's life would probably never allow for perfect. You still had to spend days in boring meetings about drugs and cash. People still feared him. Problems still landed on his desk every day.
But after that night, the night Kento died. The two of you had talked for hours that night. About the future. About fear, about what kind of man he wanted to be, about what kind of life the two of you wanted together.
Riki was still Riki, but he started trying.
He worked less. Handing responsibilities off whenever he could. He stopped attending meetings that didn't absolutely require his presence.
Sometimes you'd walk into his office expecting to find him buried in paperwork, only to find him stretched out on the couch waiting for you because he'd decided he'd worked enough for the day.
You'd gotten closer too. Not that the two of you had ever struggled with affection, with Riki practically living attached to your side. But the two of you spent more time together than ever before. You'd never been closer. Never been more in love.
Tonight was one of those nights. Riki had given the cook the evening off apparently because he wanted to cook himself.
Though you were pretty sure part of the reason was that he wanted an excuse to walk around the house shirtless all evening. The man wasn't subtle. He'd spent the entire time cooking in nothing but comfortable black pants and a dark robe hanging open over his shoulders.
Now dinner was finished. The two of you sat across from each other at the dining table.
Your foot kept brushing against his leg underneath it, ack and forth. Sometimes around his ankle, sometimes up his calf. Riki kept acting like he wasn't affected by it but the slight smirk on his face said otherwise.
Until eventually Riki stood up and collected both plates.You shake your head immediately.
"You cooked. I'll clean."
"No." His answer came before you'd even finished speaking.
"Riki."
"No." He gently squeezed the back of your neck as he walked past. "You go relax. Go take a bath." You looked up at him. "A bath?"
"Mhm." His thumb brushed your skin. "I'll clean everything up."
So while Riki disappeared toward the kitchen, you headed upstairs.
The master bathroom was probably one of the prettiest rooms in the entire house. Everything about it felt warm. A massive soaking tub sat beneath an arched window. Across from it is a long marble vanity cluttered with expensive perfumes, skincare products, and the little decorative items you collected over the years.
You turn on the faucet and watch steaming water begin filling the tub.Soft jazz starts playing from the speaker on the vanity and light a candle next.
You grabbed the shower gel and squeezed a few drops into the running water. Probably more than necessary, but you liked the sweet vanilla smell. The bubbles started forming immediately.
Then your eyes drifted toward the mirror. You stood in front of it and your silk robe slid from your shoulders. You turned slightly sideways and one hand settled against your lower stomach. Studying your reflection. A small smile pulled at your lips.
The tub was nearly full now. You stepped out of the robe completely and carefully lowered yourself into the water. With a quiet sigh, you leaned back against the tub and closed your eyes.
By the time you come downstairs, your hair is still damp from the bath, falling over your shoulders. A butter-yellow nightgown brushes against your thighs with every step. The matching robe hangs open and loose around your body, and your gold necklace rests against your skin, the pendant disappearing into the neckline.
The house is quiet except for the sound of Riki moving around the kitchen. He's wiping down the counter when he hears soft footsteps behind him. Before he can turn around, two arms suddenly wrap around his waist. Riki lets out a surprised chuckle.
"There she is."
You squeeze him tighter. His hand immediately settles over yours. Standing on your toes, you lean up and press a kiss against his cheek. "Thank you for doing the dishes."
"Hm. You're welcome." You smile against his shoulder before letting go.
In the old wooden cabinet in the corner of the rooms stands a radio and a collection of CDs you've both gathered over the years. You open it, flipping through them until you find the one you're looking for. A second later, old jazz music fills the room. You turn the volume up a little higher than necessary.
Riki is still standing in the kitchen looking directly at you. His eyes slowly travel over your figure. Taking his time. You fight back a smile, then hold both hands out toward him. No words needed. Riki immediately knows what you want. You wiggle your fingers impatiently.
"Come here."
He laughs softly, then starts walking toward you.
His hands slide around your waist underneath the robe. Warm palms settling against your sides. You immediately wrap your arms around his neck.
And the two of you slowly start moving to the music. Your bare are feet gliding across the cold marble floor. Riki's gaze never really leaves your face, just admiring your beauty. His thumb brushes absentmindedly against your side.
Eventually one of his hands leaves your waist, sliding up to smooth a few damp strands of hair behind your ear. Then he leans down and presses a kiss to your forehead. You smile immediately and rest your head against his shoulder. Riki's chin settles lightly on top of your head and you both close your eyes.
Neither of you talks, just feel hum of the music and the warmth of your bodies so close together and keep swaying slowly through the living room.
After a moment, he buries his face against the side of your neck and takes a good sniff.
"Mm. You smell so good."
You chuckle softly. His voice is muffled against your skin. "You smell like vanilla."
"That's because I just spent an hour bathing in vanilla."
"Hm."
One of his hands slides upward and catches on your necklace. His finger traces the thin gold chain, following it all the way down before letting it slip through his fingers again. He holds your chin lightly between his index finger and his thumbb and he looks at you for a second, before his hands start wandering off again.
They slide slowly down your spine and he lets them rest on your lower back. You can feel how relaxed he is. A version of him almost nobody else ever gets to see.
And that's when your stomach flips, because you've been waiting for the right moment all evening. Maybe all week. Every time you'd almost said it, something interrupted. A phone call. A meeting. A visitor. But now it's just the two of you and you can't keep it to yourself anymore.
"Riki."
"Hm?" His eyes stay closed.
"I have to tell you something."
That gets his attention. He pulls back slightly. Both hands settling properly on your sides as he looks down at you. "What?"
For a second you can't speak. Your throat feels tight, your eyes already sting. Which is ridiculous. You've rehearsed this conversation in your head a hundred times. Yet now that it's actually happening, all your words disappear.
Riki notices immediately and his expression shifts. Concern replacing the relaxed smile.
"Baby?"
You let out a shaky laugh. Then another. And somehow that turns into tears. His eyebrows pull together instantly. "Hey." One hand comes up to your cheek. "What’s wrong?"
You shake your head. Nothing’s wrong. A laugh escapes you through the tears.
Then finally—
"I'm pregnant."
The room suddenly feels very quiet. Riki just looks at you like his brain is trying to catch up.
"Really?" The smile starts before he even finishes speaking. You nod.
Tears immediately spilling over. "Yes." Your voice wobbles. "I took a test a few days ago."
Then he laughs. Completely caught off guard. His hands grab your face.
"Really?" You start laughing too. "Yes, really."
The smile on his face gets even bigger. You don't think you've ever seen him smile like that before. Then suddenly his hands slide to your waist. Before you can react, you're lifted completely off the ground.
"Riki!" He spins you around once and your laughter fills the room. For one of the only times in his life, he feels like nothing else in the world matters. Just you and the tiny secret you've been carrying for days.
—
The next few months felt like a completely different life for both of you.
The pregnancy changed everything. The way he'd suddenly become interested in things he'd never cared about before. Doctors appointments. Baby names. Cribs. Tiny clothes. Tiny clothes especially. You caught him staring at baby shoes for ten straight minutes once, then pretending he wasn't.
It was the happiest you'd ever seen him. Genuinely. Even the people around him noticed. His employees noticed. His men noticed. The people in the office definitely noticed.
Especially his assistant Kenji. Poor Kenji nearly had a heart attack the first time Riki thanked him for something. A simple thank you. That's all it was. Yet Kenji had stood there looking so confused that Riki ended up laughing at him. The entire office talked about it for a week.
Things were good, really good. You were building a family. A future. The kind of future the two of you had spent years talking about. For the first time in a long time, everything felt settled. Like the universe had finally decided to leave you alone.
But of course it didn't.
It started with a letter. A plain white envelope sitting on Riki's desk one morning. No return address, no name. Just a single sheet of paper inside. The message was short: He'd pay for murdering Kaizen.
Riki barely reacted. He read it once, scoffed. Then tossed it straight into the shredder. Threats weren't exactly new to him. People had threatened to kill him before. Threatened to torture him. Threatened to burn down his businesses. Threatened to wipe out his entire bloodline. Compared to some of those, this letter was nothing. So he ignored it.
Then another one came. And another. The messages got longer, more personal. He still ignored them. Then the phone calls started. At first they only came to his office. The receptionist would transfer them through. Riki would answer, a distorted voice would start talking. Threats, promises and warnings. The first few times he hung up immediately.
Eventually he stopped reacting altogether, but they kept coming. Then they got his personal number. That was when things became annoying.
The calls started arriving in the middle of the night. Two in the morning, or thee, sometimes four. The phone vibrating on the bedside table waking both of you up. Riki would immediately grab it before you could, step into the hallway, come back five minutes later and tell you it was nothing. Just work.
You knew he was lying, but not about what.
Then the photos appeared. The first one arrived in another envelope. A picture of Riki sitting in his office, taken from outside the building. The second showed him getting into his car after work. The third showed him walking through the front gate of your home. The fourth showed him standing beside you. That one made his stomach drop.
Still, he tried to brush it off to you. Every time you asked if everything was okay, he'd pull you closer and tell you not to worry. Every time you looked nervous, he'd promise nobody would touch you. Nobody would touch the baby. Nobody would touch his family.
And he meant it.
But privately? Privately, Riki was worried.
Because Kaizen wasn't some random man he'd crossed years ago. Kaizen had power, connections, loyal people. The kind of people willing to wait months for revenge. The kind of people patient enough to make a man paranoid before making a move.
So even while he insisted everything was under control, changes started happening. Extra security around the house. More cameras. New locks. Stricter visitor checks at the office. Kenji suddenly having two security men following him everywhere.
Nobody complained. The thing that truly unsettled them wasn't the threats. It was Riki. The fact that he was taking the threats seriously. The fact that sometimes they'd catch him staring at security footage longer than necessary. Checking camera angles.
And if Riki was worried? Then everybody else had a reason to be worried too.
The thing that finally broke him was a text message that came in the middle of the afternoon while he was working.
Unknown number. Seven photos of you. His stomach dropped instantly.
The first was you walking through a shopping district. The second was you getting coffee. The third was you leaving one of the organization's office buildings. The fourth was you stepping into your car. The fifth was taken so close he could make out the necklace around your neck.
By the seventh photo, Riki was already standing. His chair slammed backward. Kenji looked up from across the room.
"Boss?"
Riki didn't answer. His jaw clenched so hard it hurt. He stormed out of his office. Kenji immediately followed.
"Boss?"
"Meeting room." His voice was deadly calm, which somehow sounded worse than yelling. "Get everyone."
"Everyone?"
Riki stopped walking and turned around. The look he gave Kenji was enough. "Now."
Kenji was already reaching for his phone before Riki turned back around. Within minutes, the conference room was filling up. People rushed in from every floor of the building. Department heads. Security teams. Investigators. People who normally wouldn't be in the same room together. Nobody even bothered sitting down.
Riki stood at the end of the table. Furious. When the last person entered, he threw the phone onto the table. The pictures lit up across the screen. Nobody spoke.
"Find them." His voice echoed through the room. "I don't care who they are. Find them."
One of the security managers finally cleared his throat.
"Boss, we've already been investigating—"
Riki slammed his fist into the table. Several people visibly flinched. "I don't give a fuck. My wife is being followed."
“Boss—”.
"Try harder. Check every camera. Every employee."
Another fist hit the table. "Every fucking person that has entered this city if that's what it takes."
The room remained frozen because everybody knew this wasn't about business anymore. This wasn't about power or money. This was about you. And everybody in the organization knew there was one thing Riki loved more than himself. One thing he'd burn the entire city down for.
You.
The meeting lasted three hours. For the first time since the threats started, even the most experienced people in the room looked worried. Because of Riki.
And unfortunately, things only got worse. The threats kept coming, the photos kept coming. No matter what security measures were added, no matter how many people were assigned to investigate. Nothing stopped.
And slowly, it started affecting everything. Including your marriage. Arguments became more frequent. One night you'd ended up crying in the middle of the kitchen floor because you were exhausted. Things had finally been good and now it felt like someone was stealing that happiness piece by piece.
"I'm so scared." You'd admitted it quietly with tears running down your face.
"I just wanted things to be normal now." Riki had pulled you into his arms immediately because he wanted the same thing.
He started insisting. Security everywhere, at all times. You couldn't go shopping alone. You couldn't go to appointments alone. You couldn't even go get coffee alone anymore. A guard followed you everywhere.
You hated it, absolutely hated it. It made you feel trapped. But every time you argued, Riki only got more stubborn. Because every time another photo appeared on his phone, all he could think about was what happened if one day it wasn't just a photo.
So eventually you stopped fighting him because you saw what it was doing to him. How tired he looked, how often he checked his phone, how often he checked the security cameras. How many nights he stayed awake staring at the ceiling. At one point he'd even assigned somebody to monitor your location whenever you left the house. The poor guy probably knew your daily routine better than you did.
You thought it was ridiculous. Riki thought it wasn't enough. Which was how you ended up back at the office. Just like old times. Sitting through meetings that bored you to death. Listening to people discuss violent things you used to care about, before you found out you were going to be a mother.
—
Then came the threat that changed everything.
The drive home from the office had been quiet. Just you and Riki in the backseat while the city lights passed by outside. Your head rested against his shoulder. One of his hands was loosely wrapped around yours. By the time the car pulls into the driveway, you're already looking forward to getting inside, kick off your heels and relax.
Riki steps out first, then helps you out. The security guards do their usual check. Everything looks normal. Your driver, Ren, stays by the car while Riki walks you toward the front door. His arm settles around your shoulders automatically. He pulls his keys from his pocket, then his phone vibrates. He unlocks his screen and freezes immediately.
"Riki?"
He doesn't answer, his eyes are locked on the screen. You look down and your blood runs cold. A photo taken seconds ago. The picture shows the two of you standing exactly where you are now. In front of your own front door, riki holding his keys, you standing beside him.
The message underneath makes your stomach drop.
UNKNOWN: You, your wife and your baby are no longer safe here.
Your hand immediately flies to your mouth. "Oh my God."
You look around the property, the trees, the neighboring houses. Every corner suddenly feels dangerous.
"How do they know?" You whisper. Your eyes fill with tears instantly. "Nobody knows."
Nobody was supposed to know. The pregnancy hadn't been announced, the organization didn't even know. Yet somehow... they knew. Riki's jaw clenches. You can practically feel the anger radiating off him. But underneath it is real fear. For you, for the baby.
He immediately grabs your hand.
"Back in the car." You stare at him. "Now."
He turns you around and practically guides you back to the car, your heels quickly click against the stone. Ren sees your faces and immediately opens the door. Riki climbs in after you and slams the door shut.
"Office." Ren is already pulling away. His hand is shaking slightly, something you almost never see. He calls Kenji.
"Boss?"
"They know about the pregnancy."
"What?"
"We’re coming back." Riki rubs a hand over his face. "I want guards waiting outside when we arrive."
“Okay, sir.”
"Close every blind. Nobody enters the building without clearance."
"Understood."
The call ends.
Security guards line the office building’s entrance when you arrive. The second your car stops, two guards surround it, escorting the two of you inside. The emergency meeting starts less than ten minutes later. People practically run into the conference room. The moment Riki walks in and tells them about the picture, conversations erupt immediately. Suggestions, questions, plans, investigations.
You sit beside Riki and try to pay attention, but after a while the voices start blending together. Your eyes drift down to your hands resting on the table, your wedding ring catches the light. A tear slides down your cheek. Nobody notices, or maybe they do, they just don’t say anything.
The room continues talking around you but your mind is somewhere else. Months ago. Years ago, back when things were simpler. Back when you and Riki were inseparable. When you'd follow him everywhere. When danger felt exciting instead of terrifying. When the future wasn't something you had to worry about.
You think about those nights. When your life revolved around love, money and guns . No child depending on you. Just you and him. Then your hand moves over your stomach and the thought immediately changes. Because that's not what you want either.
You want this. The family, the life you've been dreaming about. You want lazy mornings and baby names. And growing old with Riki.
Your eyes slowly lift, people are still arguing. Riki is speaking now. For the first time in your life, you realize that maybe being feared isn't enough. Because no matter how powerful Riki is... no matter how many people obey him, no matter how many enemies he's buried. Somewhere out there is a person who isn't afraid of him.
The discussion only gets worse. Every time somebody disagrees with him, Riki patience gets thinner. It literally feels like a bomb waiting to go off.
"We should wait before relocating."
The sentence barely leaves one of the managers' mouths before Riki's head snaps toward him.
"Wait?"
The man visibly regrets speaking. "Boss, I'm just saying we don't know if—"
"You don't know if what?" Riki stands up so suddenly his chair slides backwards. "We don't know if they're serious?"
"They know where we live. They know where she shops. They know what car she drives."
The room gets very still. Riki laughs but there's no humor in it.
"You think I'm overreacting?"
Some of them do, the problem is nobody wants to tell him that. Unfortunately, one woman eventually does.
"Boss, with all due respect, we're not saying you're wrong. We're just saying that moving locations immediately might be—"
"Get the fuck out. If you don't want to help, get out."
"Boss—"
Riki points towards the door. "Out."
Riki's eyes move around the room. Everybody suddenly looks suspicious, like a possible threat. A possible reason somebody out there knows too much. The room starts talking again.
"Maybe you're just overreacting because—"
"They know she's pregnant!"
The words come out before he can stop them. Every single person in the room goes silent. Then suddenly everybody is looking at you and your eyes immediately fill with tears. You quickly stand up.
"I need a minute."
Your voice comes out smaller than intended. You leave before anyone can see the tears properly.
The hallway feels blessedly quiet. You make your way to your office. The second the door closes behind you, you let out a shaky breath. You lay down on the couch and stare at the ceiling. You don't even mean to fall asleep, but somehow you do.
—
A soft knock pulls you out of it. The building is quieter than before. Then the door opens and Riki walks in. He kneels beside the bed. His fingers slide into your hair, gently petting it back.
"Honey."
You blink sleepily. "Mm."
His thumb brushes your forehead. "I'm sorry."
Your eyes open properly. Riki sighs.
"We're moving."
"What?"
"Temporarily." He strokes your hair again. "We're moving to another house."
You sit up slightly. "What? I don't want to."
"I know."
"Riki I don’t—"
"I know."
His voice stays gentle, but voice he uses means he's already made a decision.
"There isn't room for arguments on this one."
You immediately frown. He reaches for your hand. "They know where we live. They know way too much. It’s dangerous. I'm not taking any chances."
"When are we going?"
"Now."
"What?"
"Now. We're not going back to the house."
You groan dramatically and cover your face. He gently pulls your hands away. "You can take whatever you need from here."
"My stuff is at home."
"You have enough stuff here to survive for six months."
Unfortunately, he's right. Half your life somehow ended up at the office over the years.
You sigh. Riki kisses your forehead. "Thank you."
You glare at him. He kisses your forehead again.
An hour later you're walking through the underground parking garage with two bags and a bad attitude. The building is unusually busy. Everybody treating the situation with a seriousness that makes your stomach hurt. Riki thanks several people on the way out. Which says enough by itself because Riki almost never thanks people.
By the time the car door closes behind you, the reality of it all is finally settling in. You're actually leaving. Not for a nice vacation. Because somebody made your home unsafe.
—
So this is how you ended up here. One month later. Living in a house that wasn't yours.
A house that was supposed to feel safe, instead it just felt temporary. The house itself wasn't bad, most people would probably call it incredible. It was huge, modern, hidden far away from the city. The problem was that it didn't feel like home. Your home was warm, brown and gold, dim lighting. This house felt cold and dark. Floor-to-ceiling windows but the curtains are closed most of the time.
Even after a month, you still caught yourself reaching for light switches that weren't there and opening the wrong cabinets. You missed your bathroom, your soft bed, everything. Most of all, you hated why you were here. Somebody wanted to hurt your family. Every time you remember, suddenly the house felt uncomfortable all over again.
The adjustment hadn't been easy. Especially because Riki trusted absolutely nobody anymore. The cook wasn't allowed to move with you, the maid wasn't either, the gardener stayed behind too. Riki had decided the fewer people who knew the location, the better.
Which meant that while he spent twelve hours a day working, you were left doing everything yourself. Things you'd never minded helping with before because you were at the office as well. But now it just felt lonely and the silence gave you too much time to think.
Unfortunately, your marriage wasn't doing much better. Not because either of you stopped loving each other. If anything, this whole situation only proved how much Riki loved you. That was the problem. His love had turned into fear, and fear had turned into control.
Suddenly there were rules. You couldn't leave without security, you couldn't drive yourself anywhere, you couldn't visit people, you couldn't make spontaneous plans. You couldn't do much of anything.
Every conversation somehow turned into an argument. Every argument somehow turned into Riki insisting he was trying to keep you safe. And every time he said that, you wanted to scream. You knew he was trying to protect you, but it felt like while you were preparing for a family and a future together, Riki had slipped right back into his old life. Meanwhile you were stuck in this weird middle position.
The only good thing was that the photos had stopped.
But the letters and calls still came. Every single week. Different numbers, different accounts, different handwriting. Always the same message.
Eventually everyone in the organization reached the same conclusion. The threats were connected to Kaizen. Nobody knew who exactly, where, or how many people. Just Kaizen. It was a dead end.
One of the worst moments happened during the second week. Your driver disappeared. One minute he was dropping somebody off, the next he was gone.
For exactly forty-eight hours.
When he finally reappeared, two security guards found him dumped on the side of a road in front of the office. His face was covered in bruises, one eye nearly swollen shut. And missing a finger. You'd never forget the look on Riki's face when he heard.
The driver insisted he hadn't told them anything. He'd been blindfolded the entire time. He didn't know where he was, didn't recognize any voices or heard any names. Nothing that could help. Just more proof that whoever was behind this wasn't playing games anymore.
—
It’s almost 11 p.m. when the front door finally unlocks. Riki steps inside looking exhausted, tie loosened, sleeves rolled up. The house is dark except for the kitchen lights. You’ve spent the entire day alone in this house again. Riki crosses the room and kisses your forehead, then your lips quickly.
“Hey.”
You try to smile. "Hi."
That's all you manage. Riki studies your face for a moment, clearly noticing the lack of enthusiasm, but doesn't comment on it.
“I saved you dinner,” you say quietly, standing up before he can really look at you.
In the kitchen, you Open the fridge. Scoop leftovers onto a plate. Reheat them.
Riki leans against the counter watching you.
“How was your day?”
You shrug. “Fine.”
"Did you eat?"
"Mhm."
You don’t continue. So he tries again. “Did you go outside?”
“No.”
“You should’ve gone into the garden at least.”
You let out a humorless laugh. “The garden surrounded by guards and cameras? Yeah, sounds relaxing.”
You set the plate down harder than necessary. Then you stop moving entirely, a long sigh leaves you.
“I can’t do this.”
Riki straightens slightly. “Do what?”
“This.” You gesture between the two of you. “Pretend everything’s normal.”
“I know about Ren.”
His jaw tightens instantly. “Who told you?”
“Kenji.”
“You weren’t supposed to know that.” He says irritated.
“Oh, I’m sorry,” you snap. “Was I supposed to keep living here like some clueless housewife while people are getting tortured because of us?”
“Lower your voice.”
“I don’t think anybody’s gonna hear us, Riki.”
Riki pushes off the counter. “I didn’t tell you because I didn’t want you scared.”
You stare at him in disbelief. “Do you hear yourself?”
“I’m trying to protect you.”
“Stop saying that. I’m so sick of hearing that.”
Riki scoffs and shakes his head.
“You don’t tell me things because you’re ‘protecting’ me. You lock me in this house because you’re ‘protecting’ me. You control where I go, who I see, whether I can leave the fucking property, and every time I say something you act like I’m unreasonable because you’re ‘protecting’ me.”
Riki’s jaw clenches. “Do you think I want this, y/n?”
“I don’t know what you want anymore!”
The words echo through the kitchen. Your hand slaps against the counter in frustration.
"I'm the same woman who used to run jobs with you."
"That was before."
You step closer. "You know I know how to keep myself safe because you've seen it."
"You're pregnant."
“I’m pregnant, not helpless. I hate asking permission to leave my own fucking house. I hate waking up every day feeling trapped.”
“You are not trapped.”
“It feels like a prison!”
“You’re alive.”
“And what kind of life is this?”
Riki’s voice rises now too. “A safe one.”
“I hate these fucking rules, Riki. I am not your child!"
"But you are carrying mine, aren’t you?!”
"Yes, and sometimes I really fucking I regret that!" you scream back. The words are out before you can stop them.
Riki just stares at you like he genuinely can't believe what he heard. "What did you say?"
His voice is quieter than before. You should stop. The second you saw the look on his face, you should've stopped. But you're too angry, too hurt.
"I said I regret it."
Riki blinks. "Baby."
His voice lowers, like he's trying to talk you down. "You're upset."
You laugh bitterly. "Oh my God."
"You're just angry."
"I'm not taking it back."
"You don't mean it."
You don't know what you mean. You just know everything hurts and you want him to hurt too. So you turn around and walk away.
"Fine." Your voice shakes. "I'm done talking."
"Baby—"
You ignore him. Already heading toward the stairs.
"Sleep on the couch."
Riki lets out a breath. "I'm not sleeping on the couch."
You spin around. "Yes, you are."
"No."
"Yes. Riki. You are!" You snap.
"No."
"I don't want you in our room."
Riki's jaw flexes. "Our room."
"Don't."
"I'm not sleeping on the couch."
You throw your hands up. "You're so fucking stubborn."
"And you're being unreasonable.”
You stare at him, then turn around before you say something even worse. A second later the bedroom door slams hard enough to shake the wall.
The house feels painfully quiet afterward. Riki stands alone in the kitchen. The untouched plate of food still sitting on the counter. He looks at it for a long moment, then sits down, takes one bite and stops. His appetite is completely gone. Your words keep replaying in his head. He rubs a hand over his face and lets out a long breath. He puts the untouched plate in the sink and heads upstairs.
The bedroom is dark when he enters. The only light comes from the bathroom door left slightly open. You don't acknowledge him. You're already under the blankets, lying on your side as far from his side of the bed as possible. Riki quietly changes clothes. Pulls on a pair of sweatpants, takes off his shirt, brushes his teeth.
Does everything as quietly as possible. Then finally gets into bed, the mattress shifts. Immediately you turn around.
"What the fuck are you doing?" The whisper-yell is somehow more aggressive than actual yelling.
Riki settles onto his pillow. "I'm going to sleep."
"I told you to sleep on the couch."
He closes his eyes. "I'm not sleeping on the couch."
"You're unbelievable."
No response. "Riki."
Still nothing. You sigh, long and very irritated. "You're fucking stubborn."
With an angry huff, you turn away again. Your back facing him. For a few minutes neither of you speaks.
Eventually you feel the mattress shift slightly. Riki moving closer, then his arm starts to move around your waist like it always does.You immediately push his hand away. The hand disappears and Riki doesn't try again.
Normally this would've been over by now. Normally one of you would've apologized. Or laughed, or given in. Neither of you ever really went to sleep angry. You don’t do that. Because living this kind of life, it could always somehow be your last day together.
But tonight you genuinely don't want to be touched. Or apologies or cuddles. You want as much space as possible.
Minutes pass, eventually Riki speaks.
"I love you."
Your eyes immediately sting. But instead of saying it back, you swallow hard and stay silent.
—
The next morning feels awful. Riki is already gone. No goodbye kiss, no hand brushing through your hair, o quiet I'll see you later. The guilt from last night immediately settles in your chest.
You can't stay here today. You need fresh air, people, something that isn't these four walls.
So before you can overthink it, you grab your phone and call Riki. The call only rings once.
"Yeah."
You sit down on the edge of the bed.
"Uhm. I was wondering... I wanted to maybe go out today?"
You immediately start rambling. "It doesn't have to be long. I just wanted to go to the mall for a bit and maybe look around and I can take security and—"
"You can go."
"What?"
"You can go."
His tone stays flat. "I'll send Ren."
"Oh."
"You don't have to explain."
Normally he'd tease you, ask what you wanted to buy or make a joke about you spending all his money. Now he just sounds tired.
"I'll have Ren pick you up."
"Okay."
"Be home by 6."
“Okay.”
The call ends.
The idea of leaving the house makes something inside you feel lighter. You practically jump out of bed. Finally something normal. You spend extra time getting ready, making sure you look extra good. For the first time in days, you actually feel excited about something.
Then the doorbell rings. Ren is waiting outside. You immediately notice how different he looks now. The bruises, and the missing finger is impossible to ignore.
"Goodmorning."
"Morning, ma'am."
His voice sounds strange.Before you can ask anything, he clears his throat. "Boss told me to tell you something."
"What?"
"He wants you to leave your phone at home."
"My phone?"
"So nobody can track you." That sounds exactly like something Riki would say. You sigh.
"Fine."
You go back inside and leave your phone on the kitchen counter.
Ren opens the car door for you and when the house slowly disappears behind you, you actually feel happy. The feeling doesn't last.
At first you're talking nonstop about random things. A store you want to visit, a dress you saw online, a bakery you miss. Ren barely says anything. His eyes stay fixed on the road. His shoulders look tense.
You slowly start talking less and then your gaze drifts toward his hand. The memory of what happened to him. Something uncomfortable settles in your stomach and you look away.
The car continues driving, and driving, and driving…
Eventually you glance out the window, your brows furrow. This isn't right. The route feels wrong. You know this city. You know where the mall is, and this isn't it.
You sit up slightly.
"Ren?"
You look out the window again. The roads and buildings are unfamiliar now. A cold feeling creeps up your spine. "Ren."
He keeps driving. Your heartbeat starts picking up. Maybe there's traffic?
"Ren, where are we going?" The excitement from earlier disappears instantly.
"Ren." This time your voice comes out sharper. "Where are you taking me?"
His hands tighten around the steering wheel, and then—
Click.
The doors lock.
Your stomach drops and for a second you just stare at him, your heartbeat suddenly pounding so hard you can hear it.
"Ren." He doesn't answer. The panic hits all at once. Your voice cracks. "Ren, what the fuck is happening?"
Your breathing speeds up. You grab the door handle anyway and pull it.
"Ren! I want to get out! Please stop the car!"
Tears are already running down your cheeks. Your hands shake as you pull at the handle again. "You're scaring me!"
Ren slams a hand against the steering wheel. "Stop yelling!" The outburst makes you jump.
"If you just cooperate, nothing will happen to you!"
You stare at him. "What?"
"Just work with me."
"What are you talking about?"
You start crying harder. "What are you doing?!"
Ren's grip tightens around the wheel, he looks like he might cry too. "They threatened my family."
Your heart drops. "What?"
"They threatened my family."
His voice shakes. "They found my wife, my kids. They said if I didn't do this..."
He sighs. "...they'd kill them."
You just stare at him, unable to process it. "Who? Who, Ren?"
The silence is answer enough.
"Please." You wipe at your tears. "Please tell me who."
Ren just shakes his head and keeps driving. Then suddenly he reaches forward, your entire body tenses. He unlocks the glove compartment and it falls open. Inside sits a filled syringe.
Your stomach immediately turns. You don't even have to ask.
"They told me to use it if you didn't cooperate."
Your hands instinctively move to your stomach. The baby. You immediately stop talking, you just turn your head toward the window. Tears sliding silently down your cheeks. Eventually your voice returns.
"Ren." He sighs. "What?"
"You've known us for years."
He closes his eyes briefly. You keep going. "You've worked for Riki for years. You know me." Your voice trembles. "I’m going to be a mother."
You wipe another tear away. "Please don't do this."
His eyes stay fixed on the road. "I don't have a choice."
"Everybody has a choice."
A painful laugh escapes him. "No. Not always."
You stare at him trying to find something. Some sign he might change his mind. But all you see is guilt. "Where are we going?"
He doesn't answer. "Ren… please."
You let out a shaky breath. "Am I going to die?"
For the first time since this started, Ren looks at you. And when he speaks, his voice is barely above a whisper.
"I don't know, ma’am.”
For a few more minutes, you keep trying. Because what else are you supposed to do? Just sit there and let this happen?
"No, you know what?" Your voice shakes from crying. "You're fucking stupid. Do you have any idea what Riki is gonna do when he finds out? You think threatening your family is bad?"
A tear rolls down your cheek. "He's going to kill you."
The threat sounds weak the second it leaves your mouth, mostly because your voice cracks halfway through it because you’re still crying. Ren doesn't even react.
"He'll find me. He always finds people." The silence makes you even angrier.
"You know what your problem is?" you snap. "You think I'm some helpless wife. You think I'm just gonna sit here and cry."
Your breathing speeds up. "I can fight. I've been around this shit longer than you."
Then suddenly something clicks. Your stomach drops.
"Riki never told me to leave my phone." Your voice breaks. "Oh my God. You lied."
He says nothing. "You lied to me. You’re kidnapping me."
Ren has been your driver for years, you trusted him. The tears start again.
"How could you do this? How could you fucking do this?!"
Ren suddenly slams his palm against the steering wheel. "They're going to murder my family!"
The yell fills the entire car. You jump immediately. Your mouth snaps shut. Then you slowly cover your mouth with your hand ,trying to muffle the sob that escapes.
Meanwhile, back at the office, Riki has no idea.
He's sitting in another meeting. His attention keeps drifting to you, though. To your words from last night. A part of him wants to call you, just to hear your voice and make sure you're okay. But every time he reaches for his phone, he’d tell himself you’re just having a nice day out and he should leave you alone.
He promised himself something. He promised he'd try to give you space. Try to stop controlling every part of your life. You hated the cameras, the tracking, the constant security. So he'd started easing up.
The guy monitoring your location? Day off. The guards assigned to watch you? Day off. Several camera systems around the property? Disabled. For you. Because despite everything, all he wanted was for you to be happy.
Unfortunately, that decision couldn't have come at a worse time.
—
The car finally slows. You immediately sit up and your heartbeat starts racing again.
Outside, the surroundings look unfamiliar. Industrial and empty. The kind of place nobody accidentally ends up.
Ren parks and then looks at you. "If you cooperate..." His voice is barely above a whisper. "...nothing will happen."
You nod slowly. You wipe away your tears and take a shaky breath. "Okay."
But you're lying. The second you see your opportunity, you're running. No matter how many weapons or buff men, you’re running.
A few seconds later, headlights appear and doors open. Four men, all armed. One of them immediately approaches the car. The moment the door swings open, a hand grabs your arm hard. "Move."
You do. Just not the way they're expecting. The second your feet hit the ground, you twist. Your pointy heel comes down hard on the man's foot. He curses and ends slightly and that's all the opening you need. Your knee shoots upward. The man winces in pain and you rip your arm free.
You kick your heels off and run. Bare feet hitting rough pavement. Heart pounding, adrenaline flooding your body.
For one glorious second, you think it might work. Then somebody grabs the back of your arm. You yank away. Another hand catches your shoulder. Someone shouts. You keep fighting, keep twisting, keep trying. Then somebody catches your arm and a sharp impact slams against the side of your head.
Everything flashes white, the world tilts and voices become blurry. A second later everything goes black.
—
At five o'clock, Riki is completely unaware that anything is wrong. Every now and then, he checks the time. Five already. A small part of him still considers calling you. Then remembers last night, the way you'd refused to say I love you back.
You probably need space. And that's what he'd been trying to give you so he puts the phone back down. You must be home already. Probably unpacking shopping bags, maybe cooking dinner, maybe still annoyed at him.
But safe.
Meanwhile, your head feels like it's splitting in half.
The first thing you notice is the ringing in your ears and hen the pounding behind your eyes. Then your entire body feels cold. You groan softly. Everything is blurry. Nothing makes sense. For a while you just sit there trying to remember.
The car. Ren. Running.
The realization hits all at once and your eyes snap open. Your wrists immediately pull against something. Rope. Your hands are tied behind the chair , your ankles too. A cloth is tied tightly around your mouth.
The panic returns so quickly it makes you dizzy. You look around. The room looks abandoned. Concrete walls, one flickering light hanging from the ceiling, no windows. No way outt.
Four men stand around the room. The second they notice you're awake, one of them laughs.
"Look."
Another glances over. "Finally."
Your breathing starts speeding up. The chair scrapes loudly as you instinctively try to move.
Then another man enters your line of vision. Older than the others, maybe late forties. Well dressed and too calm. He smiles when he sees your eyes open.
"Well well." He slowly approaches. "Look who's awake."
You pull against the ropes again. The chair creaks underneath you. The man chuckles.
"You were out for so long we thought we killed you already."
Your heart pounds. The panic fully sets in, a muffled scream sounds behind the cloth.
The man sighs dramatically and then crouches down in front of you. "Relax."
You scream again, louder. The man reaches forward and he grabs your chin. Hard enough to stop your head from moving.
"Stop that. Your husband won't hear you from here."
The mention of Riki instantly breaks something inside you. Tears immediately fill your eyes. The man notices, he lets go of your face with a small push and smiles.
"Aw."
He slowly starts pacing like he's giving a presentation. “I don’t think you know me. I’m Kaito. Your husband killed a lot of important people, y/n."
His smile disappears. "My brother happened to be one of them."
He studies your expression. "You know what impressed me most?"
You stare at him. Tears running down now.
"How predictable the two of you are." His smile returns. "We followed you for months. Every luxury shop. Every restaurant. Every office meeting. No matter how many guards your husband hired, we always knew where you were."
You think about the months of fear. They'd really been watching the entire time.
"You know the funny part?" He tilts his head. "Your husband is actually very smart. He moved houses."
He shrugs. "Hired security. Changed routines." Then his smile widens. "But eventually he made the same mistake every man makes. He got comfortable."
The tears won't stop now. You can barely breathe. Hiro walks closer again.
"He turned off cameras, he sent guards home. All because he wanted to make you happy."
You shake your head desperately. The cloth muffles another sob. Hiro crouches beside you again. His voice lowering, almost gentle.
"Do you know how easy today was?"
The question makes your stomach turn. You squeeze your eyes shut as if that might somehow make him disappear.
"Your husband spent months building walls around you. And a few arguments were enough to make him tear them down himself."
When you open your eyes again, tears blur everything. Hiro looks completely satisfied like he's waited years for this moment.
By seven o'clock, Riki is finally heading home.
The entire day he's been replaying last night in his head. Thinking of things he should've said differently. By the time he reaches the house, he's already decided he's apologizing first. The front door opens, he kicks off his shoes, hangs up his coat, and immediately calls out,
"Baby?"
Silence, he frowns. Norrmally you'd answer, even if you were still angry, even if it’s just a hum. He walks further inside.
"Baby, I'm so sorry for—"
The words stop in his throat. The house looks exactly the same as when he left, like nobody had been here all day. A strange feeling settles in his chest.
"Baby?"
He walks into the kitchen, nothing. Garden, nothing. His pace quickens. Upstairs. Bathroom, empty. Bedroom, empty. Guest room, empty. His heart starts beating harder. Now he's calling your name louder. He checks the time. 7:03. You were supposed to be home by six. Ren knew that, you knew that.
So where the fuck are you?
Riki rushes downstairs and that's when he sees it. Your phone still sitting on the kitchen counter.
"What." He grabs it. "What the fuck—"
His heart drops straight into his stomach. His hands are already grabbing his own phone. Already dialing Ren. Every instinct in his body screaming that something is wrong.
Miles away, your head shoots up because you hear a ringtone.
Across the room, Ren is slumped against a concrete wall unconscious with his hands tied. The phone keeps ringing. Kaito glances toward the sound and slowly reaches into Ren's pocket.
Kaito pulls out the phone, looks at the screen and smiles.
"Oh."
He turns the phone toward you. The contact name fills the screen. Riki. The sight of it almost breaks you because now you know exactly what's happening. Riki's home, he's looking for you, he's freaking out.
The phone continues ringing and Kaito studies your face, amused like he's watching a show.
"Should I ignore it? Huh?"
You violently shake your head, tears flying. Please don't. But his smile only grows.
“No? So you wan’t me to answer?” You nod your head and tears spill down your cheeks.
The phone rings, until Kaito swipes across the screen to aswer and Riki's voice explodes through the speaker. "Ren, where is she?"
No hello. Pure panic. "Where the fuck is my wife?"
Even hearing his voice makes fresh tears spill down your face. Kaito glances at you, sill smiling. Then casually pulls a chair over and sits down directly in front of you, one leg over the other.
"Good evening, Boss."
"...Who is this?"
Kaito leans back comfortably. "Oh, we have plenty of time for introductions."
Kaito keeps smiling while Riki's breathing turns harsher through the phone.
"You trusted the wrong man," he says casually. "And now I have the thing you cherish most."
You immediately start screaming behind the gag. Trying to make noise, trying to make Riki hear you. On the other end of the line, Riki loses whatever control he had left.
"I'll kill you. I'll kill every fucking person in that building. Tell me where she is."
Kaito's smile fades slightly. "Careful, Boss. Threats don't work when I'm the one holding the gun."
Riki says something else, but Kaito simply lifts the phone away.
"I'll show you something."
And then he hangs up. Kaito slips the phone into his pocket, completely unbothered. You stare at him through tears.
A minute later, somewhere across the city, Riki's phone buzzes. A video, he opens it immediately.
The screen shows you tied to the chair with a gun pressed beside your head. Your face wet with tears. If you don't come alone, Kaito says, if you tell anyone, bring anyone, fight us, or try anything clever, your wife and your baby die. Then a location appears on screen.
For once in his life, Riki listens to an enemy. Because this isn't business, his wife’s life is at risk. He just grabs his keys and leaves.
At the warehouse, you sit trapped in the chair, waiting. You keep telling yourself the same thing over and over. Riki will come, Riki will bring his men, you’ll be safe. Your eyes close briefly as you try to steady your breathing. It'll be over soon.
Then you hear a car outside, a door slamming. Your heart jumps into your throat. Kaito glances toward the entrance. One of the armed men moves toward the front.
Outside, Riki reaches into the glove compartment and pulls out a handgun. He shoves it into the waistband of his suit and heads for the warehouse door without slowing down. He pounds on it hard enough to rattle the metal. The door cracks open. A guard stands there, weapon visible.
"You alone?"
"Yes," Riki snaps. "Let me the fuck in!"
The man studies him for a second, then opens the door. The moment the entrance clears, Riki sees you tied to the chair. And your scream tears through the warehouse. "Riki!"
He moves immediately, trying to get to you. A guard blocks him before he gets halfway across the room. "Not so fast. Any weapon on you," he says. "Drop it."
For a second Riki hesitates. His eyes flick to you, to the gun beside your head.
Slowly, he reaches into his waistband and pulls out the pistol. It feels humiliating, but he lowers it to the concrete floor. The guard immediately kicks it away. The second the gun is kicked away, another man moves.
Riki barely has time to react before someone grabs both his wrists and yanks them behind his back. Instinct takes over and he twists violently, trying to break free. For a split second, it almost works. But the man standing in front of him swings the butt of his gun and it lands hard against the side of Riki's head.
Your breath catches. "Riki!"
Riki groans in pain and his knees nearly buckle. Blood immediately appears near his temple, running down the side of his face. The man behind him tightens his grip and forces his arms higher. "Stop moving."
"Get your fucking hands off me."
Kaito sighs dramatically. "I told you not to fight. It's five against one."
He gestures around the room. "You're not winning this."
The men force Riki forward toward you. One of the men shoves him down. Riki hits the concrete on both knees.
He's only a few meters away now. Close enough to see every tear on your face, close enough to notice your shaky breathing. But too far away to reach you. You stare at him. Your vision blurs again.
"Riki..."
The cloth turns it into a muffled sob.
His tone immediately softens even now.
"It's okay, baby." Blood still running down the side of his face. "Trust me."
You shake your head desperately, tears falling faster. His eyes stay locked on yours.
"You'll be okay."
Kaito laughs, then grabs a handful of Riki's hair and forces his head upward. His fingers brush the fresh blood near Riki's temple.
"You really believe that?" Kaito asks.
Riki jerks away from him immediately. His eyes dark.
"If you touch her—"
"Listen." Kaito cuts him off.
The smile finally disappears from his face. "You killed my brother."
"I remember the phone call, I remember identifying the body, I remember seeing my nieces cry."
You can feel the hatred pouring out of him now. "I wasn't important enough for anyone to look at. Which worked out pretty well for me."
His eyes move toward you. "Because it gave me time. Every picture, every threat. That was me. I followed you both for months. Waiting for the perfect moment to get revenge.”
He looks directly at Riki. "It surprised me hard it was to find your weak spot. But then it happened..."
His eyes slowly move down to your stomach. Everything inside you freezes.
"...the baby."
Immediately you start struggling again. The chair scrapes loudly across the floor and a muffled cry escapes you.
"No—"
Riki visibly flinches. Kaito notices both reactions and smiles.
"See? There it is. That's the one."
Riki's entire body goes rigid. "If this is about me then leave them out of it."
"Leave them out of it? After everything I’ve worked for? The stalking, the months of paranoia, the kidnapping. It worked exactly how I wanted."
You feel sick. Because he's right, every piece led here. Riki's eyes never leave you. Almost like he's trying to memorize your face, preparing for something.
Kaito turns back toward him.
"And now you're alone. You came exactly where I wanted."
Kaito takes a gun from one of the men. He turns and presses the gun gently against the side of your head. Everybody’s breath catches.
"Since you took something from me..." Kaito says quietly. "...I think it's only fair I take something from you."
"NO!" Riki's voice explodes through the room.
He tries to get up, a guard immediately slams a fist into his side. The hit forces the air from his lungs and he groans.
"Please."
The word falls from his mouth before he can stop it. And everyone hears it. The feared boss, the man who’s never said thank you. Begging.
"Please. Don't touch her."
And sitting there with tears streaming down your face, staring at the blood on his temple and the panic in his eyes, you realize he's just as scared as you are.
Kaito studies the panic on both of your faces for a moment before slowly lowering the gun from your head. He starts pacing again, the gun hanging loosely at his side.
"You know," he says, almost conversationally, "when my brother got shot, everybody talked about him. They talked about his empire. His money. His power."
A humorless laugh leaves him. "But nobody talked about his daughters. Funny, isn't it?"
He tilts his head. "A child growing up without a father." His gaze locks onto Riki. "Does that sound familiar to you?"
The words hit harder than any punch. You immediately start shaking your head.
"No. No, please..."
Your voice is barely understandable through the tears. Riki drops his head.
"What do you want, Riki?" Kaiten says.
Riki slowly looks up. Kaito points the gun toward you.
"Her life?" Then toward Riki. "Or yours?"
"If she dies," Kaito continues, "you live. You get to spend the rest of your life remembering this moment. Remembering your wife. Remembering your unborn child."
Your breathing becomes shaky. Kaito then points the gun at Riki.
"If you die... they live."
You immediately let out a sob. "No."
"But your child grows up without a father and your wife becomes a widow."
Riki just stares at the floor, then at you, his eyes glassy. The thought of either option makes you feel sick. Kaito waits and waits. When neither of you answers, his patience begins to crack.
"Answer me."
Silence. "Answer me..."
"ANSWER ME, RIKI."
Riki closes his eyes. Kaito strides forward and puts the gun beneath Riki's chin, forcing his head upward. Riki slowly opens his eyes.
Then Kaito smiles.
"You know what?" He takes a step back. "I'll let both of you decide."
He gestures toward the men beside you. One of them immediately crouches down, a knife cuts the ropes around your wrists fall away. Your arms immediately drop, numb and aching. The ropes around your ankles follow. At the same time, one of the guards gives Riki a shove between the shoulder blades.
The second you're free, you're moving. You practically fall into him. Your knees hit the concrete and you're in his arms. Finally, but at what cost.
The first sound that leaves you is a broken sob. Riki catches you immediately, one arm around your shoulders, the other cradling the back of your head. Holding you so tightly like it’s the last time. Your face presses against his chest and you can hear his heartbeat.
"Riki..." Your voice breaks completely. "I'm so sorry."
He immediately shakes his head but you keep going. The words pour out between sobs.
"I'm sorry for what I said. I didn't mean it."
"I know."
"I didn't mean any of it, I do want this. I want our family. I want our baby."
His hand slides into your hair. "I know… I know."
Another sob, you can barely breathe. Tears are running down his face now too, though he barely seems to notice. You cup his face with both hands.
"I love you so much." The words come out trembling. "So much."
His eyes immediately close for a second. Hearing that physically hurts because he doesn't know if he'll ever hear it again.
"I love you too." His forehead presses against yours.
Then—
BANG.
The gunshot explodes through the warehouse ceiling. Both of you jump violently. You instinctively bury yourself against Riki's chest and his arms immediately wrap around you.
Kaito lowers the gun and rolls his eyes. "Touching."
Kaito checks his watch. "You have three minutes."
Your stomach twists. Three minutes. Three minutes to decide something impossible.
"If you don't choose..." He shrugs. "...I'll choose myself."
The silence afterward feels endless. And as the reality of those words settles over the room, you cling to Riki even tighter. Because suddenly three minutes feels like the shortest amount of time in the world.
The moment Kaito says they have three minutes, something inside you completely breaks.
"No—"
Your voice cracks. Sobbing so hard you can barely breathe. Your fingers clutch at Riki's suit desperately, holding onto him like if you let go for even a second he'll disappear. The thought alone makes you feel sick.
"No, no, no..."
Your whole body shakes. Riki immediately pulls you closer.
"Baby." His hands cup your face. "Hey."
You can't even look at him. Because the second you do, it feels like goodbye.
"Look at me."
You shake your head. "No."
"Baby." His thumbs wipe tears from your cheeks. "Look at me."
Eventually your eyes lift. The second they meet his, more tears spill over, because he's crying too.
You know exactly what he's thinking and you hate it.
"Listen to me." His voice is gentle. The same voice he uses when you're sick, when you're upset. "You have to take care of our baby."
Immediately you start shaking your head again. "No."
"You do." His forehead presses against yours. "You have to."
"No, Riki."
"I want you to live."
His hand slides down to your stomach. The gesture destroys you. "I want both of you to live."
Your hand immediately covers his as if you're trying to stop him.
"You'll be okay."
"No." His lips brush your forehead. "You will."
A kiss to your temple. "You're strong." A kiss to your cheek. "You always tell me that."
Your shoulders shake harder. "Stop."
"You know how to take care of yourself."
"Stop it ."
"You'll be an amazing mother."
"Riki, stop."
His voice breaks slightly. "You'll live the life we talked about."
At that, you completely lose it. The sound that leaves your throat barely sounds human. You bury your face against his neck and cry harder, because he's talking like he's already gone. Like he's already made peace with it, he's already saying goodbye.
Kaito glances at his watch. "Time's almost up."
You immediately grab Riki tighter. "No."
His arms wrap around you. One hand rubbing your back, the other the side of your face. He can't stop touching you. His eyes close briefly. He's memorizing this. The feeling of your hair, your scent, the weight of your body against his, the warmth of you. The child you carry. Everything.
"It'll be okay."
His voice is quieter now. Almost a whisper. "You'll finally get that peaceful life."
You immediately pull back. "No. Stop."
"You will. You deserve it."
Your hands grab his face. "I want you a life with you, Riki."
Kaito sighs loudly, clearly annoyed. Then he starts counting.
"Fifty. Forty-nine. Forty-eight."
"No."
You turn toward Kaito so quickly your neck hurts. "Take me."
Riki immediately stiffens. "No baby."
"Just take me!" Your voice echoes through the room. Tears running down your face. "Please!"
Riki grabs your shoulders. "Y/n stop."
"Take me!"
His arms immediately lock around you, holding you against his chest. "Stop."
"No!" You struggle trying to pull away from him.
Eventually he places a hand over your mouth. Just to stop you from saying it. Because he cannot listen to you offer your own life. Your cries become muffled ,you hit weakly against his chest trying to fight him. But you're exhausted, you’re terrified and drained.
Eventually your strength gives out. You stop fighting and Riki slowly removes his hand.
The second he does, you throw your arms around his neck. He immediately hugs you back.
"Baby..." His thumb brushes your cheek. "I need you to listen to me."
He looks at you, his eyes glistening like he’s looking at the most precious thing in the world.
"I loved every day with you."
Your face crumples immediately. "No Riki don’t say that—"
"I mean it." A small smile appears. The saddest smile you've ever seen. "I loved every single day."
His breathing shakes, a tear slides down his temple. His hand finds your stomach.
"The day I met you... I had no idea you'd become my whole life."
You can't breathe.
"I need you." The words burst out of you. "I need you, Riki."
Your hands grab his face. "I can't do this without you. I can’t.”
"Yes you can. You're the strongest woman I've ever met."
Your entire body shakes. "No."
"You are. You’re stronger than me, baby, trust me. You survived me."
That almost makes both of you laugh weakly.
His forehead presses against yours. "You'll raise our baby."
A sob escapes you.
"You'll tell them about me. You'll tell them how annoying I was."
"No."
"You'll tell them how much I loved you."
"Stop."
"I'll always be with you." The words come out quietly. You immediately start crying harder.
"I'll look for you. In your dreams."
"No. No Riki I can’t—"
"I'll remind you I'm still around."
You're fully hysterical now. Sobbing so hard your words don't even make sense anymore.
"No, no, no, no, no..."
"TEN." Kaito's voice echoes through the warehouse.
Your arms are wrapped around Riki's neck so tightly your muscles hurt. His forehead is pressed against your shoulder.
"Nine."
His hands move to your face, making you look at him. "Riki..."
Somehow he still manages to smile. That smile he only ever gave you and nobody else ever got. That smile you hope your baby has gotten from him.
"I'll love you forever."
Your face immediately crumples. "Riki… no."
His thumb wipes away another tear. "Say it back, baby. Say it back to me."
His forehead presses against yours again.
"I love you.” You manage to say between sobs. “I love you so much.”
A tear slips down his cheek.
“Five.”
And suddenly he's kissing you. So deeply, he's trying to put every feeling he's ever had for you into one final kiss. Your hands immediately find his face. His neck, his hair. Anywhere.
You kiss him back through tears. Through the realization that this is probably the last time. The last kiss, and neither of you wants to let go.
"One."
Kaito's voice cuts through the room. The kiss breaks.
Then—
Zero.
Kaito moves so fast you barely register it, and suddenly Riki jerks. A strangled sound leaves him. Your eyes widen.
A knife is buried deep beneath his ribs. Kaito immediately steps back and blood begins spreading across Riki's shirt.
"No!" The scream tears out of you.
The entire warehouse disappears in front of your eyes. Nothing exists except him in your arms. His head lands in your lap. Blood is already soaking your clothes.
"Riki."
He coughs, blood appears at the corner of his mouth. Your heart shatters. Your hands shake so badly you can barely hold his face.
"I'm here." You don't even know why you're saying it. "I'm here."
Another cough escapes from him. Another painful breath. His eyes stay locked on yours like he wants your face to be the last thing he sees. You start crying harder.
"I love you. I love you so much."
His lips twitch. Almost a smile, almost. Then his hand slowly lifts, weak and shaky, trying to reach you. You immediately grab it and press his palm against your cheek. His thumb barely moves against your skin. The weakest little movement but you feel it.
His eyes begin drifting through you. Somewhere else.
His mind drifts to the day he met you. To your wedding. The first time he slept with you. To when he taught you how to fight and he used to let you win. Late nights cuddling in bed. When he introduced you at the office. The arguments. Slow dancing in the living room. Running jobs with you. The baby. The future. The life you were supposed to have.
The life that was supposed to keep going.
His hand starts slipping. You immediately grab it, putting it back against your face.
"No." Your voice cracks. "Stay with me."
His eyes find yours one final time, and suddenly he looks peaceful. Then his chest rises one last time. His eyes remain on yours, but something changes, he just disappears. Riki isn't there anymore.
"No." Your hands grab his face and tap his cheek gently. "Riki, baby.”
Your breathing becomes frantic. "Riki… please.”
Your voice breaks. Tears falling onto his face.
"Please wake up."
There are still people in the room, still footsteps and distant voices, preparing to leave this situation behind as fast as possible. But none of it reaches you. The world has narrowed down to the weight in your lap, to the face you've loved for years.
You don't know how much time passes. Maybe seconds, maybe hours. You just sit there.
A part of you refuses to believe it. Any second now he'll groan and tell you you're being dramatic. Any second now he'll wake up. He always wins.
Your fingers brush through his hair, sticky with blood now, but you don’t care, you smooth it back anyway. The same way you always did when he was stressed or when he fell asleep on your chest.
You lower your forehead against his and cold tears fall onto his skin. Your hand finds his, it feels heavier now, lifeless. You lace your fingers through his anyway.
Nothing about this feels real. You bend over him, pressing a trembling kiss against his forehead. One last time.
"I love you Riki." The words come out broken.
"Forever."
You don’t get an answer. The words just hangs in the air.
Outside, the world keeps moving. Rain falls, cars drive by. People laugh, people dance. Dogs bark, birds chirp. Life just continues. Completely unaware that yours has just ended.
You close your eyes and hold him tighter. You place one hand on your stomach. You were so close to a perfect future with him, and it left you in less than a second. The old house filled with jazz music. The family dinners. Gone.
But beneath your hand, there is still a piece of him. Your child. And for the first time since Kaito started counting, you finally understand why he made his choice.
Even when Riki was terrified for what was coming. Even when it meant losing everything.
He chose you.
✦
xtra note: I just realized I completely forgot to write about the little girls from the last past omg... SORRY. I was too focused on dada's death. the girls are fine ;)
I LOVE writing and I really enjoy sharing my fics with you guys. But because of that I sometimes put off school or free time because I feel like I still have to finish writing a fic, and that's not good.
Because eventually I start forcing myself to write, which means I don't get any enjoyment out of it anymore. It’ll just feel like another assignment.
Yesterday I posted the yakuza fic, it took me so long to write and I felt super relieved it was finally finished. Then it turned out to be over the block limit (?) so I have to split it up in multiple parts which means I’m still not done. It’s exhausting icl 😭
But bc it got so much love and I am getting a lot of asks for the next part, I will try to post it in the coming week if I have time and energy to. It will be posted eventually ofc! Otherwise I’d have written everything for nothing.
I don't know how long the break will be, but I’ll update you guys. I will definitely be on this app to talk to you and stuff, so feel free to send me asks, I’ll answer! I will just not write anything new for a while :)
I hope this is understandable and not too disappointing.
