Chapter 48: Late At Night
Chapter 48: Late At Night
Philip’s POV
"Where are you coming from?" I asked Marceline, trying my best not to raise my voice at her.
I can't believe that she came back home by this time of the night. It's almost midnight. I had come back home early today with the thought that she would be home, but she wasn’t, and Roman too. Just for her to come back by this time.
She raised her eyebrows at me as if saying, how is that my business. But of course, it’s my business because she is my wife, and I can’t have her coming back home this late. What if something happened to her?
"Answer me, Marceline," I said in a demanding tone this time, blocking the path so she wouldn’t enter.
"I went out to have fun," she replied after a minute with a faint smile, like she had enjoyed the fun.
"What stupid fun that you stay up to this time?" I asked, snapping, almost losing my temper.
"Don’t shout at me. And why can’t I stay out late?" she said with a hiss, like I was disturbing her peace.
"It’s late, Marceline," I said, my voice lowered this time.
I stared at her and noticed some changes in her. Her face didn’t look tired like it did some months back. She looked beautiful, just like I knew she was in our earlier years in marriage, until she started looking stressed after we had Roman.
"It’s still very early compared to yours," she said calmly, and I frowned in displeasure. Yes, I do come back late because I stayed out with Anastasia, but it’s different. I’m a man.
Talking about Anastasia, she had been calling and texting for days, apologizing for her behavior at the company that day, but I had no intention of talking to her or to have anything to do with her again. Whatever we had between us is over. I can’t have her destroy what I have labored for years.
"I’m—" I started, but was cut off by her.
"If you can stay up late, then why can’t I?" she said and started walking inside the mansion while packing her hair into a bun.
"You can’t stay out late, Marceline. What about Roman?" I said and went after her with huge steps.
"Roman is at my parents’ house," she said to me without stopping her feet, but she stopped when she sighted the dinner table.
The table was decorated and filled up with different dishes and some bottles of wine. She turned to me with narrowed eyes.
And seeing the table reminded me of why I had come back home early today. Today was our wedding anniversary. I was at a business meeting when it struck me that today was our wedding anniversary. I checked my phone, and there was no message from her, which was strange because she never failed to notify me about it every year. No calls too.
I ended the meeting and came back home, but she wasn’t even home, and Monica said she left since morning. I instructed Monica to prepare some dishes and set the table.
"Don’t tell me that you forgot what today is," I asked her because I didn’t understand why she looked confused when she saw the table.
She narrowed her eyes more in confusion, and I felt an arrow hit my heart. I felt an undescribable pain in my chest. She really forgot.
"Today is our wedding anniversary, Marceline," I said with bitterness, dragging my hair. I can’t believe she forgot.
"Oh," she said, taking a deep breath.
"How could you forget our anniversary?" I asked, still in disbelief. I knew that Marceline had changed, but I never thought she could forget our anniversary.
"What are we celebrating? A crumbled marriage?" she asked with scorn.
"What did you say?" I asked in shock. How could she say that our marriage had crumbled? We are still husband and wife.
"Our marriage is broken, Philip. We are only still together because of Roman," she said calmly.
"Marceline, don’t say that. I know that I did wrong, and I have apologized," I said with sadness. Since the day she told me to continue my affair with Anastasia, I realized that we couldn't.
"I didn’t hold it against you, did I? I told you to continue your life. Let’s just see that Roman grows well," she said quietly, like it was just a normal thing.
How can she tell her husband to continue his affair with her friend? Which wife does that?
"I should continue with Anastasia, that’s what you want, right?" I asked with a small laugh.
She nodded without hesitation.
"Don’t regret it then," I said, thinking she would come back to her senses and tell me not to, but she simply turned and walked upstairs like it was nothing.
I stood staring at the stairs with bitterness for some minutes, then walked to the table where my car key was. I picked it up and left the house. I entered my car and drove off to Anastasia’s place.