ILLICIT AFFAIRS | WLW

Call It What You Want

Catherine stood at the front of the lecture hall, her eyes darting to the door every few seconds as students filtered in, one by one, their tired faces reflecting the toll of early mornings and late-night study sessions. She smoothed down the sleeve of her blouse, feigning a casual demeanour she did not feel. Blair was supposed to be here. 9 AM was their time—Catherine's lecture, the place where their professional worlds collided in a perfectly crafted structure that allowed them to exist near each other without suspicion.

The seats filled up, though her gaze kept returning to the door, each creak of the hinges a spark of hope that Blair would finally step through. But she didn't. As expected. The disappointment gnawed at Catherine more than it should have, an almost painful reminder of the fact that their relationship—if it could even be called that—was far more fragile than she had anticipated.

Just as the last student shuffled to their seat, Ann Riley, Blair's best friend, broke away from her group of friends and approached the front. There was something stiff in her movements, her steps purposeful. Catherine tensed.

"Blair won't be making it today," Ann said tersely, her voice devoid of any warmth or friendliness. She folded her arms across her chest in a defensive stance. There was no preamble, no polite explanation – just cold, hard fact. "She's feeling ill," she added, the emphasis on the word suggesting that Blair's absence had less to do with a physical ailment, and everything to do with Catherine.

Ann's tone was clipped, almost as though she was spitting the words out one by one. Catherine's pulse quickened, but she kept her face carefully neutral. There was no room for emotion here. Not with so many eyes on her.

"Thank you for letting me know," Catherine replied, mirroring Ann's brevity. Her words were polite, professional—cold even, as if this was a routine exchange, though she could feel her heart starting to hammer in her chest.

They stood in uncomfortable silence for a beat too long. Ann's eyes, sharp and full of accusation, were locked on Catherine's, as though daring her to say something else, to acknowledge the real reason for Blair's absence. Catherine didn't bite. She wouldn't allow herself to be goaded, not in front of her class, not by a student. After all, she was the one in control here. At least, she was supposed to be.

Ann turned without another word and took her seat, her movements deliberate and full of unspoken judgment. Catherine forced herself to look away, but she could still feel the weight of Ann's animosity pressing against her back, like a warning.

And Catherine understood immediately. Ann knew. She knew about Blair. She knew about Grace.

Of course, she knew.

By the time Catherine began the lecture, she had successfully smothered any remnants of personal emotion. The students were supposed to discuss the film they'd watched for the week – an Italian psychological drama about manipulation, power and the complex dynamics between gender roles and how age differences reinforced it.

Of course, it was ironic that this had been the chosen subject matter for today. Life had a cruel way of mirroring art, sometimes.

She called on a student who eagerly launched into a well-rehearsed analysis of the film's power dynamics. "The more authoritative figure, Matteo, used their position to manipulate Lucia, and you can see how this imbalance creates tension. There's admiration, sure, but also resentment because of how Matteo took advantage of the situation."

Catherine nodded along, though the student's voice became nothing more than background noise as her thoughts immediately shifted to Blair. There was a power dynamic between them – one that she had been aware of from the start. There was no escaping the parallel in her own life. She was Blair's professor, a figure of authority, and Blair had looked up to her with those wide, eager eyes, hanging on every word, craving her approval. But admiration, as the student had said, could breed resentment, even unintentionally. Catherine couldn't help but wonder if she had abused hers? Had she really let Blair down in the most profound way possible?