ILLICIT AFFAIRS | WLW

Death By A Thousand Cuts

𝐀𝐍: Hi! Heads up, this hasn't been proofread! I was just way too excited to upload the next chapter. It is basically a retelling of the last chapter but developed from Catherine's POV <33

Thursday had been an unseasonably warm day, perhaps it was due to the warmth Catherine had felt with Blair in her office. However, later that afternoon, Catherine had found herself drifting through the bustling streets of the town with her niece Evie's small, clammy hand tucked securely in her own. The girl's golden curls bounced as she skipped, her sweet, sing-song voice a bright sound amidst the dull murmur of foot traffic. Catherine watched her niece with a small, affectionate smile – a rare softness that only Evie ever managed to draw out of her.

She didn't have children – never had the desire, really – but there was something about her niece that made her feel fiercely protective. Maybe it was the way Evie's bright blue eyes shined up at her with pure trust, or how the little girl's laughter seemed to fill the empty, unspoken spaces in Catherine's life. She couldn't say for certain, but whenever Evie was around, Catherine found herself giving in to the child's every whim; doting on her as if she were her child.

As they wandered down the bustling street lined with quaint shops and the faint scent of freshly brewed coffee, Catherine's eyes drifted over the cheerful storefronts and busy sidewalks. Evie tugged her toward a colourful toy shop window, her face lighting up at the display of stuffed animals and miniature tea sets. "Aunt Cat, can we go in? Please?" Evie's voice was bright with excitement.

Catherine couldn't resist. "Of course, Evie," she murmured, giving the little hand in hers a reassuring squeeze. "We can get anything you'd like."

Once inside, Catherine let Evie roam freely, watching her with indulgent eyes as she flitted from shelf to shelf. It was a small pleasure, one that Catherine allowed herself without hesitation. She could afford to spoil her niece, after all, and she liked the way Evie's face glowed with delight when she was presented with a new doll or toy. There was a purity in it, an innocence that stood in stark contrast to the complicated knots Catherine felt tangled in her own life.

As they left the shop with a new plush bunny clutched in Evie's small arms, Catherine considered where to go next. They'd spent the afternoon idly drifting from place to place, stopping wherever Evie fancied, but now Catherine's thoughts were elsewhere. She had planned on taking her niece to the small diner a few blocks away, where Blair worked. She could already picture the way Blair's eyes might widen in surprise upon seeing her, a faint blush colouring her cheeks as she offered a polite smile. It would have been nice to see her in that casual, effortless way that seemed to come naturally to Blair, away from the forced pleasantries of their previous encounters.

However, as they rounded the corner, Catherine's casual stroll came to a sudden halt. Her gaze had caught on the unmistakable figure of Blair leaning against a counter, her expression animated as she chatted with another woman. Grace Evans. Grace, with her easy laughter and the kind of charm that seemed effortless.

The sight hit Catherine like a splash of ice water, the kind that seeped into her bones and chilled her from the inside out. The sight of Blair smiling at Grace had triggered something dark and unwelcome inside Catherine. She had tightened her grip on her mobile, her mind a whirlwind of thoughts she had no wish to entertain.

It wasn't jealousy, she told herself—though she could feel the unmistakable bite of it prickling under her skin. It was...displeasure. Yes, displeasure at seeing Blair with her, of all people. Grace, with her perfectly coiffed hair and that cool, practiced charm. Grace, who knew how to turn her attention on and off with the flick of a wrist.

Grace Evans was a name that Catherine had hoped never to think of again. Their history was something she had buried, deep and unresolved, a past best left untouched. But now seeing Blair with her – her Blair, who had come to occupy far too much space in Catherine's thoughts – sent a flare of possessiveness through her. It was irrational, she knew, and yet she could not stop the bitterness from creeping up her spine. Was Grace the reason why Blair refused to acknowledge the fact that there was something harbouring between the two of them?