All Chapters of The Game of a Married Woman : Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

Marceline POV“Ma, a woman whose name is Celesta is here to see you,” my new housekeeper, Monica, called from outside my bedroom door.Celesta! My eyes widened in surprise. I wasn’t expecting her.“Please, let her in,” I answered loudly, forcing myself to rise from the bed. I had been lying in that comfortable, lazy position...the kind where you don’t want anyone disturbing your peace. If it wasn’t Celesta, I wouldn’t have bothered to get up at all.I sighed, dragging my heavy feet downstairs. Ever since Monica started working here, I had grown soft… almost lazy.“You now have a housekeeper? No wonder I didn’t meet you outside mopping the entrance or cutting the grass in the garden like always. Honestly, at times I thought you were the maid instead of the wife,” Celesta said the moment she saw me.I gave a small laugh. She wasn’t wrong. Each time she visited, she would find me bent over a mop, cooking in the kitchen, or drowning in piles of laundry. My body had begun to ache from all

Marceline POVThe whole ride from home to here, Philip and I didn’t say a word to each other. Total silence.The driver drove into the venue of the welcome party.As the car drew closer to the entrance, my eyes narrowed. I saw someone standing there, waiting like she was expecting someone.My lips curved into a bitter smile. So that’s it. That’s why Philip reacted the way he did when I said I was coming tonight.Oh, what a night this was going to be. I hadn’t wanted to come to this party, even when Celesta insisted. But at the last minute, I thought...why not? It wouldn’t be bad to get on Philip’s nerves. And now, seeing Anastasia here, standing like a bride waiting for her groom… really, they’re getting bold.“Inside this event, we have to pretend our marriage is fine,” Philip’s low voice broke into my thoughts. He spoke quietly, making sure the driver couldn’t hear.I turned to him sharply. “Why should we pretend when it’s not fine? You’re asking for a divorce, aren’t you?”“Marcelin

Marceline POVMy heart kept pounding so loudly that I was sure people around me could hear it...if only their attention wasn’t fixed on the man standing on the stage. I clutched my purse tightly on my lap, trying to calm myself down.My eyes stayed on the stage, but not on the words of the man speaking. I could feel his eyes on me, sharp and piercing. He must have noticed me sitting here before he came on stage, because the moment he stepped up, his eyes went straight in my direction.A thousand questions ran through my mind at once, but above all of them was regret and fear. Regret for stepping out that day, and fear that he might expose what happened that night. It wasn’t Philip’s reaction that scared me...who cares what he felt? My fear was that it would lead to me giving in to the divorce, and that was something I could not allow.When I saw him again for the first time at Roman’s school, I had thought it might be a coincidence or maybe he was following me. But now, knowing he was

Marceline POVI let out a laugh at what Celesta said. We were now back inside the hall, sitting at a corner, talking as we watched people walking around. I was back to my usual self because Mr. Halvourne was nowhere to be seen, and I could finally breathe.“Was it not just now that Philip left through that door?” Celesta suddenly asked, looking toward the direction of the restroom. We could see Anastasia walking through the door, glancing around nervously as if afraid of being seen.I let out a scornful laugh and looked away.“She’s going to meet him there,” Celesta said in disgust. “She is really shameless.”“Philip too,” I added bitterly. Anastasia should not be the only one cursed. Philip was the architect of it. If he had known his boundaries and not crossed them, we wouldn’t be here talking about this. I wouldn’t have gotten myself involved with Mr. Halvourne while trying to experience what betrayal feels like.“Are you going to let them?” Celesta asked sadly. She was hurt about

Marceline POV“Grandpa!” Roman’s happy voice rang through the quiet sitting room of the Stanmore mansion the moment we stepped inside. His sudden shout startled the eldest Stanmore, Mr. Johnson Stanmore..Philip’s grandfather...who had been reading a newspaper.“The most cutie Roman!” Eldest Stanmore said joyfully, putting the paper aside and adjusting in his chair so Roman could run into his arms.“Easy, Roman,” I reminded gently. “Don’t hurt Great Grandpa.”The old man was already frail, and if Roman dashed too fast, he could easily injure him.“How is my boy doing?” Eldest Stanmore asked as Roman reached him, his wrinkled hands rubbing Roman’s chubby cheeks.“I’m fine, Grandpa! Mummy picked me up from school today, and I told her I wanted to see you because I missed you!” Roman rattled in one breath, hugging the old man tightly. His childish voice was so sweet that I couldn’t help laughing softly.Truly, after I picked him up from school, Roman had begged me to bring him here. He ha