Catherine Blake Novels & Stories

Mary Redferne I didn’t sleep well, firstly because I am not in my bed, and secondly, because that kiss messed me up. I couldn’t stop thinking about Joseph Lachlan. My mom is a big fan of his mother as she is one of the few women who smashed through the patriarchy and built a business for herself. My mother loves Joseph a lot too; she says he is a good person, which is a rare thing nowadays. Obviously, she never met them, but she reads a lot of articles about them.

I can’t be weak. “There,” Mrs. Blake pointed. “But I told you, there’s nothing here.” True enough, the sidewalk was free of any marks or crime scene evidence. I walked around, careful to note anything that might be suspicious. “Don’t touch anything, we might not see it but forensic experts can.” Mrs. Blake stepped back. “We have to secure the area. They’ll be here any minute now.” She nodded, “Thanks, Austin. I never thanked you for always protecting her. You got her out when Augustus…” She stopped talking when she saw my pained expression. Because she’s gone, she’s nowhere to be found, isn’t she?

Damn him. “I’m not asking you to believe me right now. I just want… another chance to show you this is worth it. What do you say?” His eyes were on mine like he truly cared what my answer would be, and that’s what threw me off. There I was—Catherine. The woman who didn’t believe in love. Who didn’t want complications. And there he was—a billionaire who could have anyone, and for some reason, wanted me. “I don’t know…” I said, my voice unsteady. It wasn’t a no. It wasn’t a yes. It was my way of leaving myself a way out, just in case this all fell apart.

He kept pacing, growling, pushing against my control. “She’s ours,” he kept saying. “We need to claim her.” “Shut it,” I growled back mentally. “She’s just a girl who's here to perform her duties.” But even I was beginning to feel something tug at my heart. A few minutes later, Melvin returned and leaned in close. “Her name’s Catherine Blackwood,” he whispered. “She works for the event management company that handled the ball. Lives with her mother on the east side of the city. She’s a wolf, but not registered with any pack.”

There was a slight pause before the maid answered. “He… he is busy, madam. At work.” Something about her tone felt uncertain. Careful. Like she was hiding something behind polite words. Later that afternoon, Isabella reached for Ethan’s coat while trying to move around the room independently. Her fingers brushed against the fabric hanging in the wardrobe. And she froze. A faint scent clung to it. Perfume. Sweet. Unfamiliar. Not hers. She held it closer, her brow tightening slightly. “Strange…” she murmured.

The weight crushed her. His voice grows colder. ‘Where was this version of you then?’ I drag a hand down my face. "Not you too." I already know what Catherine is. I just need everyone to stop saying it. Black steps closer in my mind. ‘I need you to do something.’ My brow lifts slightly. "What?" ‘Find out if Catherine is the little witch.’ I inhale sharply and glance at the sky, as if it has answers. Black knows I already asked her. She denied it.

"Besides, I am curious... about this Blake Taylor." Ethan typed his fingers on the laptop before he showed it again to Winfield. He revealed, "These are bank transactions that my men have recovered over the past fourteen years, and here it shows that Catherine had sent Blake one million dollars. Why is that? And where did she get the money?" That utterly made Winfield frown. He recalled how Catherine suddenly struggled financially before their marriage. It was apparently because she sent all her money to Blake, but why? These were the thoughts that lingered in his mind.

“Because you’re playing with fire, and I don’t think she’s the kind of girl you can control.” Blake’s smirk widened. “That just makes it more fun.” Charlie groaned. “Dude, you’re impossible.” Blake was about to reply when Catherine interrupted them. “Are you two seriously talking about her?” she demanded, crossing her arms. Charlie looked amused. “Jealous?” Catherine glared at him before turning to Blake. “She’s nothing special. You need to stop giving her attention.” Blake didn’t bother answering. Instead, he picked up his drink and took a slow sip, effectively dismissing her.

Krister asked, looking at his tablet still before walking to the back room. “Black? She doesn’t-- I mean didn’t wear anything else?” she asked, her eyebrows meeting in the middle confused. “Don’t tell me she’s one of those people…” “Yes, specifically black clothing. They’re hot in the day but you disappear in the night. That’s what she always said to me.” Krister disappeared in the back to get something whilst Rojean was left there to contemplate on her own how she was going to pull the act off if she was a bad liar herself.

She says, taking a chair and sitting in front of me, “it shocked me when she refused to call you to come home. She was always a suspicious old bat with me.” I look at her, surprised. “Mum said nothing.” “Of course, she wouldn’t. She’s Esther fucking Blackwood, mother of the goddamn year. The moment I showed up, she was suspicious. Fucking cunt.” She leans back in her seat. “Once the jig was up, I cut to the chase and told her we needed you to get the money. Still, the tough bitch wouldn’t call you.” She stands and circles me. She whispers in my ear, “And fucking tough she was.” I flinch away from her.