A New Face

《The next day》

Fiona's slumber was shattered by the loud revving of a car's engine. Groggily, she sat up and yawned, but her tired body betrayed her as she tried to stand, collapsing back onto the bed with a soft moan. Every muscle ached, and her limbs felt heavy.

Her mind immediately swept to last night and her face turned crimson red when she recalled her passionate time with Michael. It lasted for so long because they couldn't get enough of each other.

Now, she was the one feeling the pain. She turned to the other side of the bed but couldn't find Michael. She felt his side of the bed and it was cold; which meant that he had left.

"Where did he go?" She wondered as she managed to sit up.

Just as she reached out to grab her phone from the bedside stand, something else caught her attention. Sitting neatly beside the phone was a cup of water, a small pack of painkillers, and a folded note placed carefully on top.

The unexpected sight made her pause for a moment. It wasn’t what she had anticipated, and the gesture felt thoughtful—almost gentle in its simplicity.

The items seemed to speak without words, as if someone had been quietly looking out for her while she rested. Curiosity stirred within her as she reached for the note, wondering who had left it and why.

As she unfolded the note, her eyes scanned the handwritten words, and she instantly recognized Michael's familiar script. The tender message filled her heart with warmth, melting her insides.

"I'm so sorry for leaving early, I had something to take care of at the office. I took Kelvin to school om the way because I know you would be too tired to do it. Also, take the medicine on the table, I know you'll need it."

As Fiona read the last part of the note, she could imagine Michael winking at her and that made her blush harder. He loves teasing her.

She was glad that he had helped take Kelvin to school because it would have been stressful for her to. His gesture was so thoughtful.

She reached for the medicine and swallowed it before proceeding to drink the whole cup of water. The medicine made her feel a little bit stronger than when she woke up so she was able to stand up from the bed.

With Michael having taken Kelvin to school and her bakery staff handling the morning rush, she found herself with an unusual amount of free time. For once, the day wasn’t pulling her in a dozen directions. She made her way into the bathroom, the silence around her both calming and unfamiliar.

As she stepped in front of the large mirror, she paused and let her robe slip off her shoulders, revealing her bare skin. Her eyes studied her reflection—every curve, every mark, every change. It wasn’t just a glance; it was a moment of quiet reflection, of reconnecting with the body she had often overlooked in the busyness of life.

Her eyes were hoody but they still had a glint in them, her hair was very messy and she had love bites all over her body. Michael made sure to leave those marks on her while she was deeply asleep so she would wake up to them.

He wanted her to know that no matter what, she was his and his alone. For the first time in a long while, she saw those hiccups on her body. She bit her lip when she recalled how he stared at her last night.

He didn't want to stop, nor did she. Last night, he made her feel things she had never felt when she used to have sex with him. She wasn't drunk and neither was she fighting their mate bond.

She gave herself willing to him, loosing all sense of restraint and he made sure she didn't regret it. Despite being sore all over, she had a wide smile on her face.

She washed up and then returned to her room. She sat in front of her dressing mirror and dried her wet hair with her hair dryer. Then, she delicately massaged her skin with her lotion.

She walked into her closet and put on a fresh set of clothes before taking her seat back at her dressing table. Despite the fact that she loved the hickeys Michael left on her body, she didn't want everyone to see it.

Things like that were meant for her eyes alone so she used concealer to hide the ones that were on her neck and face since the rest were hidden underneath her clothes.

She combed her long hair down her back and then tied it up into a messy bun. Satisfied with how she looked, she picked up her purse and phone and left her room, and was about to head out when she saw a plate of food neatly arranged on the dining table.

There was another note next to it and she picked it up.

"Made with love, just for you. Love.. Michael." Fiona chuckled softly after she read the note. How did he know she would be hungry the next day??

She never imagined she would witness this side of Michael in her lifetime. The man she had known had always been distant, cold, and guarded—never one to show affection or tenderness.

Seeing him act with such thoughtfulness and unexpected sweetness left her stunned. It was a side of him she didn’t believe existed, and for a moment, it felt like she was looking at a completely different person.

The quiet gestures, the subtle care—none of it aligned with the Michael she used to know, and yet here he was, breaking every expectation she had of him.

First, he left medicine on her bedside and took Kelvin to school. Now, he prepared a meal for her... she had to admit she loved this side of him.

She sat down and opened the plate. Her smile increased when she saw freshly made pancakes staring back at her. The sweet smell of the pancakes hit her nose, making her stare more.

Her stomach growled in protest, a clear reminder that she hadn’t eaten all day. Giving in to the hunger, she picked up the pancake and took a small bite. The moment the warm, buttery flavor hit her tongue, a soft sigh slipped from her lips.

She closed her eyes, momentarily lost in the comforting taste, savoring the sweetness that seemed to melt away a bit of the fatigue she carried. It was a simple pleasure, but in that moment, it felt like a much-needed escape.

She never knew Michael could cook so well. His pancakes were way sweeter than the ones she used to make but she was not going to let him find out. She took another bite and sighed again. He was just too good.

Within a few minutes, she had already finished the pancakes. She opened the bottle of milk next to the empty plates and poured some milk for herself into the cup.

She burped a little after drinking the entire contents of the cup. She smiled as she patted her filled stomach. If only this can continue for a long time...

She took the used plates and cup to the kitchen and washed them before thoroughly leaving the house right after locking it behind her. She boarded a taxi and it took her straight to the bakery.

After paying the driver, she entered the bakery.. walking past the long line of customers waiting to buy some of her pastries. A fulfilled smile appeared on her face as she watched the customers in the bakery eat to their satisfaction.

She had managed to rise above all of her setbacks. Now, her bakery was bigger and more popular than it was before. It's all thanks to Michael for his help also, Prisca and Jota for trying to ruin her.

Now, there's nothing they can do to her bakery anymore.

She entered the kitchen and saw Tacha. She was mixing something in a bowl but she looked distracted; her eyes were not on what she was doing.

"Good morning Tacha.." Fiona greeted but Tacha didn't respond.

Fiona was about to greet again when she noticed that what Tacha was mixing was about to spill over.

"Tacha!!" She yelled out as she rushed to Tacha and grabbed the bowl before it could spill over. Her loud voice was enough to bring Tacha out of her dreamland.

"Fiona.." She muttered in surprise, not expecting to see her there.

“What’s going on with you? You’ve been completely out of it for a while now,” Fiona asked, her voice laced with genuine concern as she studied the expression on their face, hoping for some kind of explanation.

Before Tacha could reply, a staff member walked in.

"There's a new customer that needs to be attended to but everyone's busy." The staff member announced as she dropped the plates she had came in with into the sink.

"I'll go attend to her," Fiona said to the staff member. The lady nodded before turning to wash the plates.

"I'll be back," Fiona said to Tacha, her tone gentle but firm. She gave her one last concerned glance, eyes lingering for a moment as if silently asking if she’d be okay. Then, without another word, she turned and stepped out of the kitchen to attend to the waiting customer.

~Unknown's POV~

The middle-aged woman stared at the large signboard in front of her.

"Welcome to Moonstone Keepers Pack." She muttered, her eyes not leaving the signboard.

Exhaustion was etched across her face, the kind that ran deeper than physical fatigue. She had spent years on the road, traveling without rest, driven by a single hope—to find the one she had lost so long ago.

The journey had worn her down, but she hadn’t given up. Her eyes, though tired, still held a flicker of determination, a silent testament to the pain and persistence that had carried her through countless miles and sleepless nights.

She had traveled through many packs in the north and all of her journeys were futile. She had been disappointed countless times but still didn't lose hope in finding her.

Now, she was going to the next pack with hopes of finding her or any clues that would lead her to her lost one. She stared at the picture of a young Fiona in her hands.

"I'll never stop searching baby. Hopefully, I'll see you again and when I do, I'll never let you go. Mommy miss you." She muttered as she placed the picture on her chest, a wave of hope and longing washing through her.

TBC

Who's the new character?