The Affair

Chapter 7

The next morning, Kendra stood in front of her closet, debating what to wear. If she was going to be spending the day with Vanessa Langley, she at least needed to look somewhat put together. She sighed and settled on a fitted white blouse tucked into high-waisted black slacks, pairing it with nude heels. She kept her makeup minimal, except for her signature burgundy lipstick, and left her dark hair in loose waves.

As she drove to the office, she mentally prepared herself for the day ahead. She had no idea what to expect from Vanessa, but she had a feeling it wouldn’t be easy.

When she arrived, she stepped into the lobby, giving the receptionist a quick nod before heading straight for the elevator. The ride up felt longer than usual, her nerves growing with each passing floor.

The moment she stepped out, Linda greeted her.

“Good morning, dear,” the older woman said with a warm smile. “Mr. Bennett is expecting you in his office. And Miss Langley just arrived—she’s in the lounge.”

Kendra nodded. “Thanks, Linda.”

She walked past the glass-walled offices and made her way to Mark’s. Taking a deep breath, she knocked once before stepping inside.

Mark was seated at his desk, reviewing some documents, but the moment he saw her, he leaned back in his chair, eyes scanning her from head to toe.

“You look nice,” he said smoothly.

Kendra rolled her eyes but felt the warmth creep up her neck. “Flattery won’t make me any more excited about babysitting your client’s daughter.”

Mark smirked. “It’s not babysitting. Think of it as… strategic socializing.”

“Right,” she muttered, crossing her arms. “And what exactly am I supposed to do with her?”

“She wants to see the city. Take her shopping, get lunch, do whatever it is girls your age do,” Mark said, standing up and buttoning his suit jacket. “Her father wants her to get comfortable here, and if she’s happy, he’s happy. That means he’s more likely to sign with us.”

Kendra raised an eyebrow as Mark pulled out his wallet and handed her a sleek black credit card.

“There’s no limit,” he said casually, placing it in her palm. “Let her buy whatever she wants—no hesitation.”

Kendra looked down at the card, then back up at him. “Seriously?”

Mark smirked. “Seriously.” Then his gaze softened just a fraction as he added, “And if you see something you like, get it.”

The way he said it—low and smooth, almost like an invitation—made a spark of heat spread through her chest.

Kendra swallowed, gripping the card a little tighter. “Right. Shopping. No limit. Got it.”

Mark’s smirk deepened, but he said nothing more, simply nodding toward the door. “Vanessa’s waiting.”

Kendra sighed. “Great. So, where is she?”

Mark gestured toward the door. “Lounge. Try not to scare her off.”

Kendra shot him a glare before turning on her heel and walking out.

Kendra made her way to the lounge, still gripping the black card between her fingers. She couldn’t shake the feeling that Mark’s words had meant more than just a simple gesture.

When she entered the lounge, Vanessa was still seated, flipping through her phone. She glanced up, barely giving Kendra a second look.

“Finally,” Vanessa said, standing and adjusting her designer dress. “I was starting to think you got lost.”

Kendra forced a polite smile. “Ready to go?”

Vanessa sighed dramatically. “I guess. Where are we even going?”

Kendra held up the credit card. “Wherever you want.”

That seemed to get Vanessa’s full attention. She leaned in, eyes narrowing at the card. “Is that—?”

“Mark’s,” Kendra confirmed. “And he said you can buy whatever you want. No limit.”

Vanessa’s lips curled into a satisfied smirk. “Now that’s what I like to hear.”

Mark stood in the doorway, “Have fun you two.”

Mark couldn’t stop himself from staring at Kendra one last time then giving her a subtle wink.

The two of them left the office and headed to the private car waiting out front. Kendra gave the driver the name of one of the most expensive shopping districts in the city, figuring that was exactly where Vanessa would want to go.

As they sat in the backseat, Vanessa finally turned to look at Kendra—really look at her.

“So,” Vanessa said, crossing one leg over the other, “how exactly do you know Mark?”

Kendra kept her expression neutral. “My mom is engaged to him.”

Vanessa blinked, then let out a laugh. “Wait. You’re Rebecca’s daughter?”

Kendra nodded.

“Wow,” Vanessa said, shaking her head. “I mean, I knew he was engaged, but I didn’t know his fiancée had a daughter your age.” She gave Kendra a once-over. “That’s… interesting.”

Kendra didn’t love the way Vanessa said that, but she ignored it.

Vanessa smirked. “Well, that explains why he was looking at you like that.”

Kendra’s stomach tightened. “Like what?”

Vanessa leaned back against the seat, clearly amused. “Oh, come on. The way his eyes were all over you when he walked into the lounge? I’ve never seen Mark look at anyone like that.”

Kendra’s pulse quickened, but she forced a scoff. “You’re imagining things.”

“Am I?” Vanessa teased, but she didn’t push further. Instead, she turned her attention to the passing city streets.

Kendra exhaled slowly, pretending to be interested in her phone, but her thoughts were racing.

Had Mark really been looking at her like that? Had Vanessa noticed something Kendra was trying desperately to ignore?

She shook the thought away as the car pulled up to their destination.

Focus, she told herself. Just get through this shopping trip.

Kendra trailed behind Vanessa as they weaved through the luxury boutiques, her arms already weighed down with bags. Vanessa had no hesitation when it came to swiping Mark’s credit card, moving from store to store like it was an Olympic sport.

Kendra, on the other hand, found the entire thing exhausting. She tried to be as friendly as possible, nodding along when Vanessa held up different outfits and offered unsolicited fashion advice. But truthfully, she would rather be behind her desk, buried in work, than stuck in this never-ending shopping spree.

Still, Mark had asked her to do this. And, for some reason, she wanted to do it for him. She wanted to make him happy.

The question that gnawed at her, though, was why?

Was it because he was her boss? Because he was her future stepfather? Or… was it something else?

She shook the thought away as Vanessa looped her arm through Kendra’s, dragging her toward another boutique.

“Okay, I need a break,” Vanessa announced after what felt like hours. “Let’s get lunch.”

Kendra let out a relieved sigh as they made their way to a high-end restaurant. Once they were seated in a corner booth, Vanessa ordered a cocktail without hesitation. Kendra stuck with a sparkling water.

Then, with an all-too-knowing smirk, Vanessa leaned forward. “So, tell me the truth.”

Kendra raised an eyebrow. “About what?”

“About Mark.” Vanessa took a sip of her drink. “He’s hot for an older man, right?”

Kendra almost choked on her water. She quickly composed herself. “I—uh—”

“Oh, come on,” Vanessa pressed, grinning. “You have eyes. He’s like, classic, rugged, rich—that’s a deadly combo.”

Kendra cleared her throat. “He’s… objectively attractive, I guess. But he’s also engaged to my mother, so…” She let the sentence hang, hoping that would be enough to shut Vanessa down.

It wasn’t.

Vanessa smirked. “Have you ever been with an older guy?”

Kendra’s spine straightened. “That’s… not really something I talk about.”

Vanessa shrugged. “I have. More than once.” She leaned back, swirling the drink in her hand. “Men in their forties? So much better than guys our age. They know what they’re doing. More experience, more patience… more money.”

Kendra fought to keep her expression neutral.

She had to choose her words carefully. She didn’t want to offend Vanessa, but she definitely didn’t want to say anything that could be twisted into something scandalous about Mark.

So she settled for something in between.

“I think everyone has their own preferences,” Kendra said diplomatically. “Some people are attracted to older men for their maturity, their success… others connect better with people their own age. It just depends on what you’re looking for.”

Vanessa smirked. “So what are you looking for?”

Kendra exhaled through her nose, giving a small smile. “Right now? Just a meal and a break from carrying your bags.”

Vanessa laughed, finally letting the subject drop.

But even as the conversation moved on, Kendra couldn’t help but feel like Vanessa had been testing her.

And she really hoped she had passed.