The Affair

Chapter 12

The bar was high-end—dim lighting, polished mahogany, and soft jazz playing in the background. It was the kind of place where businessmen and executives gathered for after-hours drinks, discussing million-dollar deals over glasses of aged whiskey. Mark had chosen a private booth toward the back, offering a little more discretion than the open floor.

Kendra slid into the booth across from him, smoothing her hands down her dress before glancing around. “Classy,” she commented.

Mark smirked as he signaled for the waiter. “Figured you’d appreciate something nicer than a dive bar.”

She shrugged. “Depends on the company.”

His smirk deepened, but he didn’t push. They ordered their drinks—whiskey for him, something fruity for her. The first sip burned warm, settling into something comfortable as the conversation began to flow.

They talked about work, casual things at first—how Kendra was adjusting, what she thought of his company. But soon, Mark steered the conversation to something more personal.

“Your mother mentioned you dropped out of college,” he said, swirling the amber liquid in his glass. “I was surprised.”

Kendra stiffened slightly, her fingers tightening around her drink. “Did she now?”

Mark nodded. “She said you just lost interest.”

Kendra let out a small, humorless laugh, shaking her head. “Yeah… that’s what I told her.”

Mark studied her carefully. “That’s not the real reason, is it?”

She hesitated. “It’s a long story.”

Mark lifted a hand, signaling the waiter for another round. His voice was smooth, unreadable as he leaned forward slightly. “I have the time.”

Kendra met his gaze, searching his face for something—maybe gauging if she could really trust him. A few beats of silence passed before she took a deep breath.

“No one knows the truth. Not even Maddie,” she admitted. “So if I tell you, you can’t say anything. No matter what.”

Mark’s expression turned serious, and he nodded. “I won’t.”

Kendra took a slow sip of her drink, then set it down, fingers trailing the rim of the glass. “I was struggling in one of my classes. I was going through… a lot at the time, and I fell behind. One of my professors—he was well-respected, well-liked, and everyone thought he was this great guy—offered to ‘help me out.’”

Mark’s jaw tightened. He already didn’t like where this was going.

“He said he’d pass me if I…” She swallowed hard, eyes flicking to his. “If I slept with him.”

Mark’s fingers curled into a fist against the table.

“I told him no, obviously. But he wasn’t taking no for an answer. He cornered me in his office one night, tried to force himself on me.” Her voice was calm, but there was an edge to it—one Mark recognized as someone who had spent too long burying their anger. “I broke his nose.”

Mark’s grip tightened around his glass.

Kendra let out a hollow laugh. “The school didn’t see it that way. He was a big donor, had connections. I tried to tell them what happened, but they swept it under the rug. Said I was ‘violent’ and ‘disruptive.’ A typical… Latino woman. They pulled my scholarship and kicked me out.”

Mark’s entire body tensed, anger bubbling in his chest.

She looked down at her drink. “So I lied to my mom. Told her I just dropped out because I lost interest. Figured it was easier that way.”

Mark exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair. His mind was spinning, fury settling deep in his stomach.

“That’s bullshit,” he muttered, his voice dangerously low.

Kendra gave him a small, almost sad smile. “Yeah. It is.” Kendra took big long sip of her drink then added, “But that’s life. Bullshit.”

Mark exhaled sharply, his frustration evident as he slowly moved closer to her. His voice was low, firm. “You shouldn’t have had to deal with that alone.”

Kendra shrugged, her fingers tracing the rim of her glass. “I’m used to being alone.” Her voice was barely above a whisper.

Mark reached out, his fingers gently tilting her chin so she had no choice but to meet his gaze. Her breath caught in her chest.

“You don’t have to be alone,” he murmured, his voice softer now, almost tender.

Kendra should have pulled away. She knew she should. But she didn’t want to.

Mark slowly leaned in, his eyes locked onto hers. Their breaths mingled, the space between them vanishing second by second. Kendra’s lips parted slightly, anticipation curling in her stomach, and just as the tension reached its breaking point—

Mark’s phone buzzed loudly.

The sound jolted them both back to reality. Mark closed his eyes for a beat, exhaling in frustration before pulling away completely and checking the screen. His expression darkened.

“s**t,” he muttered.

Kendra swallowed hard, trying to steady herself. “What?”

Mark ran a hand down his face. “I forgot—I’m supposed to have dinner with your mother.”

Kendra blinked, the weight of his words settling between them like a lead brick. Her mother. The reminder crashed down, yanking her from the haze of the moment they almost had.

She straightened in her seat, gripping the edge of the table. “Well… that’s definitely something you don’t want to be late for.” Her voice was steady, but inside, her heart was still racing.

Mark let out a heavy breath and pushed back from the booth, grabbing his suit jacket and sliding it on. “Yeah.” He glanced at her, hesitating for a fraction of a second. His jaw clenched like he wanted to say something, but instead, he just nodded. “I’ll drop you off first.”

Kendra shook her head. “No, it’s fine. I’ll get a cab.”

Mark didn’t look convinced. “I don’t like the idea of you taking a cab alone this late.”

Kendra arched a brow. “Mark, I’ve been taking cabs by myself since I was sixteen. I think I can handle it.”

His lips pressed together, but he finally exhaled in defeat. “Fine. But text me when you get home.”

She tilted her head at him. “Worried about me?”

His eyes darkened slightly. “Yeah,” he said simply.

That one word sent a wave of warmth through her chest.

Kendra forced herself to look away, grabbing her purse. “I’ll see you tomorrow, boss.” She threw the last word out with a smirk before sliding out of the booth and walking away.

Mark watched her leave, jaw tightening.

What the hell was he doing?