ILLICIT AFFAIRS | WLW

Chapter Thirty-Seven

BEFORE YOU GUYS COME FOR ME AND CALL THE SMUT POLICE, YOU'LL GET IT IN THIS WEEKEND'S CHAPTER. I was going to put it in this chapter, but it probably would've taken me a couple more days because you guys know how awkward I get when writing smut and with what I have planned, I want to make sure it is good!

Enjoy <33

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The late morning dawned quiet and cold, the crisp air nipping with the first touch of winter. It was the first day of winter break, a time when the academic pressure of the year eventually wound down, fading into the festive hustle of the holiday season. For Catherine, however, the peacefulness of the landscape did little to soothe the turmoil that churned within her.

She had risen early after a restless night spent tossing in her bed, or rather be it, the guest bed still. The darkness that surrounded her had been filled with Blair's lingering smile – the one that promised both everything and nothing. She had confessed her deepest feelings, the words tumbling from her lips more easily than she had anticipated, spurred by a desperate need to stop Blair from leaving for good. Their kiss, and that smile, had provided Catherine with a surge of hope. But it dashed as quick as it had risen, when Blair was whisked away by a car driven by an unknown woman.

Determined to escape the confines of her apartment and the thoughts that plagues her mind, Catherine had decided to venture into town, an attempt to immerse herself in the festive spirit by picking up some Christmas gifts for her niece, Evie.

The cold bit at her cheeks as she locked her door and descended the stairs, her heeled boots crunching lightly in the freshly fallen snow. The city had a different pulse in the winter—the muffled quiet of snow-covered streets, the bursts of laughter from bundled-up children, the soft glow of holiday lights strung up in festive cheer. Catherine's breath plumed in the air as she walked, her mind replaying the previous night's events in a relentless loop.

As Catherine wandered through the town centre, her eyes were drawn not to the bright festive displays, but rather to the other couples meandering through their day. They all seemed to move with the same, easy closeness, their hands linked, their laughter shared freely. Each glimpse was a dagger to Catherine's heart, reminding her of what she and Blair had lost.

Ducking into a small store, Catherine glanced at the small screen of her phone, which still displayed a list of potential gifts for Evie. Wooden blocks, a bracelet, a set of storybooks, a doll that Evie had been eyeing for months. She imagined Evie's delight, her small hands building towers and castles, pretending the doll was her child. It was a simple pleasure, untainted by the complexities of adult emotions.

Choosing a few items, Catherine lingered at the counter as the shopkeeper wrapped each gift in bright paper and ribbons. The mundane act, so typical of the season, felt oddly grounding. Yet, as she exited the shop, her reprieve was shattered by a sound—a laugh that sliced through the cold air and settled deep in her chest.

It was unmistakeable. That laugh. Blair's laugh.

Her heart leaped at the sound, both a rush of warmth and a stab of pain. It was an involuntary reaction. She stopped walking, frozen for a moment, the noise of the town and the shuffling of feet around her fading into the background. Her head snapped up, her gaze following the sound until her eyes landed on the source.

And there she was, as if the universe had decided to toy with her emotions. Across the street, outside a small cozy-looking coffee shop, sat Blair. Her back was turned from Catherine, but the familiar shape of her silhouette, the way she leaned forward with a slight tilt of her head, was unmistakable. But she was, of course, not alone. Sat across from Blair, laughing with her in a way that made Catherine's heart tighten, was the one from the night before.