Chapter Two

Mark stood outside his apartment door, the smart phone-like device in his hand. He had bought it for his fiancée as a surprise gift, hoping to cheer her up after a long day at work. But now, as he listened to the sounds coming from inside the apartment, he realized that his plans had been disrupted.

He heard the unmistakable sound of moaning, and the grunts of someone else, indicating that his fiancée was not alone. Mark's heart raced as he tried to calm his thoughts and consider the situation. Was she cheating on him? Who was she with?

He hesitated for a moment before opening the door, but he couldn't ignore the sounds coming from inside. As he stepped inside, he saw his fiancée on the couch, her eyes closed in ecstasy. Her clothing was disheveled, and it was clear that she had been intimate with someone else.

Mark's heart sank as he saw the other person in the room. It was his boss, a man who had always been friendly with his fiancée. They had gone out for drinks a few times, but Mark had never suspected anything. Now, as he saw them together, he realized that he had been foolish to trust them.

"Mark, I can explain," his fiancée said, scrambling to her feet and trying to cover herself.

"There's nothing to explain," Mark replied, his voice cold and flat. "I think I've seen enough."

His boss stood up as well, a look of shame and guilt on his face. "Mark, I'm sorry, I had no idea," he said.

"I don't care," Mark replied, his eyes locked on his fiancée. "I trusted you, and you betrayed me."

Tears streamed down his fiancée's face as she tried to apologize, but Mark wasn't interested in her excuses. He turned and walked out of the apartment, leaving them both behind.

He didn't know where he was going, but he needed to get away. His mind raced with thoughts and emotions, and he couldn't focus on anything else. He walked for what seemed like hours, trying to clear his head and come to terms with what had happened.

As the sun began to set, he found himself standing on a bridge, looking out over the water. He leaned against the railing, lost in thought, when he heard a voice behind him.

"Hey there," the voice said.

Mark turned to see a woman standing behind him. She was about his age, with dark hair and piercing blue eyes.

"Mind if I join you?" she asked.

Mark hesitated for a moment before nodding. The woman stepped up to the railing and looked out over the water.

"Bad day?" she asked.

"You could say that," Mark replied, a hint of bitterness in his voice.

The woman looked at him sympathetically. "Want to talk about it?"

Mark hesitated again before opening up. He told her about his fiancée, and his boss, and how he had been betrayed by the people he trusted the most.

The woman listened patiently, nodding along and offering words of comfort. She didn't judge him or try to offer advice, she simply listened.

As the night fell, Mark and the woman continued to talk. They shared stories and laughed, and Mark found himself feeling better than he had in days. For the first time since he had discovered the affair, he felt a sense of hope.

As they parted ways, the woman gave him a small smile. "Things will get better," she said.

Mark nodded, feeling grateful for the brief moment of connection. He walked back to his apartment, his mind clearer than it had been in hours.

When Mark walked back into his apartment, he found his fiancée sitting on the couch, her head in her hands. She looked up as he entered, her eyes red and puffy from crying.

"Mark, I'm so sorry," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "I don't know what came over me. I never meant to hurt you."

Mark felt a surge of anger and hurt at her words, but he forced himself to stay calm. "I appreciate your apology, but I think it's best if you leave," he said, his voice steady.

His fiancée looked up at him, surprised. "What do you mean?" she asked.

"I mean that I can't be with someone who would cheat on me," Mark replied, his tone final.

His fiancée looked at him, tears streaming down her face. "Mark, please, I love you. Don't throw away everything we have because of one mistake."

"It's not just one mistake," Mark said, his voice rising. "It's a betrayal of trust. I trusted you, and you threw that away. I can't just forget that and move on."

His fiancée looked down at her hands, her tears continuing to flow. "I understand," she said softly. "I'll go."

Mark watched as she gathered her things and walked out of the apartment, feeling a sense of relief and sadness wash over him. He knew that it was the right decision, but it still hurt.

As he sat alone in the apartment, Mark's thoughts drifted back to the woman he had met on the bridge. He couldn't stop thinking about her, and the way she had made him feel.

He knew that it was too soon to start thinking about a new relationship, but he couldn't help but wonder what it would be like to be with someone who didn't betray his trust.

The next morning, Mark woke up early, feeling a sense of restlessness. He got out of bed and walked to the window, looking out at the city below.

As he stood there, lost in thought, his phone rang. He picked it up, seeing the number of his boss on the screen.

"Mark, I wanted to apologize again for what happened last night," his boss said. "I had no idea that she was your fiancée, and I would never have done anything if I had known."

Mark felt a surge of anger at his boss's words, but he forced himself to stay calm. "I appreciate your apology, but I think it's best if we keep our relationship strictly professional from now on."

His boss sounded surprised, but he quickly agreed. "Of course, Mark. I understand completely."

Mark hung up the phone, feeling a sense of relief. He knew that it wouldn't be easy to work with his boss after what had happened, but he was determined to keep things professional.

As he got dressed and prepared for the day ahead, Mark couldn't shake the thoughts of the woman he had met on the bridge. He wondered if he would ever see her again, or if their encounter was just a one-time thing.

As he walked out of his apartment and into the busy city streets, Mark knew that he had a long road ahead of him. He would have to pick up the pieces of his shattered relationship and try to move on.

But for the first time in days, he felt a sense of hope. He knew that he couldn't change the past, but he could control his future. And with that thought, he set out to start a new chapter in his life.

Hours passed, and Mark was about to give up when he saw her. She was walking down the street, her hands in her pockets, lost in thought.

Mark's heart raced as he walked up to her. "Hey," he said, trying to keep his voice calm.

The woman looked up, surprised to see him. "Hey," she said.

"I just wanted to thank you for last night," Mark said, his words stumbling over each other. "You really helped me, and I appreciate it."

The woman smiled at him. "It was my pleasure," she said. "I'm glad I could help."

They stood there for a moment, looking at each other. Mark felt a connection between them, a spark of something that he hadn't felt in a long time.

"Can I buy you a cup of coffee?" he asked.

The woman hesitated for a moment before nodding. "I'd like that," she said.

They walked to a nearby coffee shop, and as they sat down, Mark felt a sense of anticipation. He didn't know where this would lead, but he was excited to find out.

As they sipped their coffee, they talked and laughed, and Mark felt a sense of joy that he hadn't felt in a long time.

He realized that he had been given a second chance, a chance to start over and find happiness again. And he was grateful for it.

As they parted ways, Mark felt a sense of hope for the first time in a long time. He didn't know where this new relationship would lead, but he knew that he was ready to take the chance.

He knew that he had to go to work, but the thought of facing his boss and the memories of what had happened with his fiancée made him feel sick. However, he couldn't afford to lose his job, so he got dressed and headed out the door.

As he walked towards the office, Mark felt a strange mix of emotions. On one hand, he was angry and hurt by what his boss had done. On the other hand, he was determined to prove his worth as a junior computer engineer and make the most of the opportunity that had been given to him.

When he arrived at the office, Mark could feel the tension in the air. Everyone seemed to be walking on eggshells, and no one dared to make eye contact with him. It was clear that everyone knew what had happened, and they were all waiting to see how Mark would react.

Mark took a deep breath and walked towards his desk. He could see his boss's office in the distance, and he couldn't help but feel a twinge of anger and resentment. However, he knew that he had to keep his emotions in check and focus on his work.

As he sat down at his desk, Mark felt a sense of relief. The familiar hum of the computers and the soft glow of the screens calmed him down, and he began to lose himself in his work. He had a project to complete, and he knew that he had to focus all of his energy on it.

As the morning turned into afternoon, Mark found himself making good progress. He was fully focused on his work, and he could feel his confidence growing. However, as he took a break to grab some coffee, he overheard a conversation between two coworkers.

"Did you hear what happened with Mark's fiancée and the boss?" one of them said.

"Yeah, it's pretty messed up," the other replied. "I feel bad for the guy."

Mark felt a wave of anger wash over him. He couldn't believe that people were gossiping about him behind his back. However, he knew that he couldn't let his emotions get the best of him, so he walked back to his desk and tried to focus on his work.

As the day went on, Mark found himself getting more and more anxious. He knew that he had to confront his boss about what had happened, but he didn't know how to do it. He couldn't afford to lose his job, but he also couldn't bear to work for someone who had betrayed him in such a way.

Finally, as the day drew to a close, Mark summoned up the courage to approach his boss. He walked towards the office, feeling a mix of nerves and determination. When he arrived at the door, he paused for a moment, taking a deep breath before knocking.

"Come in," his boss's voice called out.

Mark walked into the office, feeling like he was walking into the lion's den. His boss was sitting at his desk, looking up as he entered.

"Mark, what can I do for you?" he asked.

Mark felt his anger boiling over, but he tried to keep his voice calm. "I need to talk to you about what happened with my fiancée," he said.

His boss looked surprised but composed. "I understand that you're upset," he said. "But I can assure you that it was a mistake. I never meant to hurt you."

Mark felt his hands shaking, but he tried to keep his voice steady. "I can't work for you anymore," he said. "I'm sorry, but I have to quit."

His boss looked taken aback. "Mark, you're a valuable member of the team,"