UNDER HIS ROOF
FIONA'S POV
I didn't know how to feel.
I wasn't angry. I wasn't sad. I was just lost.
I packed the little I had managed to own in a small duffel bag.
"Fiona, you don't have to go. I can bring your mum here," he said as he tried to convince me to stay.
But no way—I wasn't going to allow my mother to be a burden to a man that I was already a burden to.
"It's alright, Dr. Alex. Thank you so much for everything you've done for me," were the only words I kept uttering as I cleaned up the room, getting ready to leave.
"Alright, if you insist on leaving… Let me at least give you a gift."
"Okay, that's fine, I guess," I replied. I didn't think much of it.
"Here you go. Please make sure you wear this ring at all times. It'll protect you—and the baby," he said.
Shocked and confused, I asked, "What do I need protection from?"
"Don't worry. When the time is right," he said.
Dr. Alex had always been one to speak in parables and believe a lot of nonsense. The ring had diamonds on it and was made of pure gold—it was beautiful. Yes, I didn't understand what he meant, but damn, that was a really beautiful piece of jewelry. No way I wasn't going to wear it.
"Thank you, Dr. Alex. God bless you," I said as I walked out the front door.
I hadn't seen her in weeks. It was as if I had already forgotten what this house looked like. My last memory of this place was my worst nightmare.
But there I stood, at the front door of that same house, not sure how to walk back in.
The moment she opened the door, she burst into tears. Her voice cracked like that of an infant.
"Fiona, please… please, I beg you. Forgive me. I don't know what came over me."
I walked right past her.
Then she coughed up blood and fell to the ground.
Something in me just snapped.
I rushed over to her, wiped her tears, and used the kitchen rags to clean the blood she had coughed up. I held her in my arms and whispered,
"I forgive you. I can't lose you like this."
Maybe because she was all I had left—and all my life, she's the only family I've ever known.
The bills were piling up, and Mama's medications weren't cheap. The light bill, the water bill… even the bedroom door had come off its hinges. I didn't have enough money to fix our problems. I had to get a job.
On my way back from buying my mother's medication, I saw a flyer.
A job vacancy at ColeTech Estate.
I said to myself, "Is this fate trying to reunite a father and child?"
I quickly snapped back to reality and reminded myself—I'm only going there for my mother. To work, get paid, so we can afford to live.
I came home, gave my mother her medicine, and took off.
There I was, at the ColeTech Estate. I held my tummy and whispered,
"Baby, this is your father's home, but I can't assure you that you'll ever get to meet him."
I was hired immediately. Effective now!
I was surprised at the speed at which things were run here—everyone moved swiftly!
I was posted to the East Wing, the chambers of Vivienne Cole—Michael's mother.
The next morning, I was sorting out her jewelry when she said to me,
"You're very polite. I like you—not like those maids who always bury their faces in their phones and are absent-minded."
"Thank you so much, ma. I'm always at your service."
Her kindness confused me. Although, I could see where Michael got his looks from.
As I carried Lady Vivienne's tray of food back downstairs to the West Wing where the kitchen was, I overheard two maids speaking.
"Dorothy Kensington is already planning the wedding colors. I also heard she already set the date," one whispered.
"Mr. Michael is a very smart man. Merging with the Kensingtons will double his influence. He'll be making triple his income now—if not more," the other replied.
I quietly walked in with my head down, dropped the tray on the counter, and ran out.
I found a quiet spot in the garden and sat there. My heart was racing so fast it felt like it would leap out of my chest. I was crashing internally.
"How could Michael do this to me? Make a baby with me and want to get married now? Why me?" I whispered to myself.
I had to snap myself back to reality and tell myself the truth:
"It was just a one-night stand, Fiona. He never told you he loved you."
But something in me couldn't accept the harsh, bitter truth.
I know what I felt that night. It wasn't just my imagination.
We had a connection.
Broken and feeling used, I got back home very late that day.
I knocked on my mother's door, and the moment she opened it—I broke.
"Mama… I'm pregnant."
Afraid of the shame and disappointment I might find in her eyes, I kept my head down.
To my greatest surprise, she wasn't angry. Instead, she was shocked. She picked me up from the floor and hugged me.
She dragged me to sit by her bedside.
"Fiona, talk to me. Who did this to you?" Her voice tightened.
I was trembling with fear. "My boss," I said.
"You mean that useless man has slept with you already?!" she yelled. This time, tears filled her eyes.
"Have you told him about the baby?"
"No… I can't. He's getting married to Dorothy Kensington," I replied.
"Kensington?"
"Yes, ma. Do you know her?"
"No… no, no. This is all my fault," she whispered. "I promise you today, Fiona, I will fix this."
I hugged her tightly. "No, Mama. Don't say that. Everyone makes mistakes."
She wiped her tears and knelt in front of me. In that moment, I was in awe. If anyone should be kneeling, it's me—I'm the pregnant one.
"I've held this from you for a very long time."
My eyes widened. "Held what from me?"
"My counsel forbids me from telling you. I wanted to, Fiona."
She stood up, pacing and hitting her head against the wall.
"Which council? I don't understand!" I rushed to stop her from hurting herself.
She turned slowly to me. "I'm a witch, Fiona. I'm the last witch standing from the Tribe of Rebellion. My tribe was the greatest of all tribes, until we had to go into hiding because of the werewolves."
"What?" My mouth dropped open.
She held my hands tightly.
"Our queen disobeyed the elders, and we were cursed with the curse of the climax. Once a werewolf sleeps with us and reaches climax inside of us… We lose our powers and die. That's why Richard came to sleep with me."
I couldn't hold myself any longer—tears began to fall.
I slapped myself hard. I thought I was dreaming.
She pulled me into her arms and held me tightly.
"I wish I could give you more details about everything… but I'll stop here. It's for your protection."
For the first time in months, I felt like my mother was still my safe space.
I couldn't sleep that night. Everything Mama said kept replaying in my head—the curse, the tribe, the climax, Richard!
Was that all I meant to him?
I gave him three solid years of my life.
Anytime I felt scared, I wore the ring Dr. Alex gave me.
It always made me feel safe. I couldn't explain it.
I kissed Mama on the forehead before I left for work early that morning. She looked so pale and fragile.
Straight to the East Wing, I reported. I started with Lady Vivienne's room, as usual—cleaning and tidying up before proceeding to mop the hallways of the West Wing.
My foot hit a tile as I was mopping the staircase, and my whole body jolted backward.
"Shit!" I cried out.
But I didn't hit the floor.
Strong arms gripped me from behind.
I recognized the touch.
It was like I stopped breathing at that moment.
He paused… and looked at me.
"You look very familiar."