Divorce Denied: Aloof CEO Won't Let Me Go

Jillian Matthews lay back against the pillows, spent and exhausted. Her chest was heaving as she tried to catch her breath after several rounds of vigorous lovemaking. She turned to the side to look at the man responsible for her weary state, but he had already pulled away.

Rhett Wilson had his back to her as he carefully dressed himself. He was back to his cold and distant demeanor, so far from the passionate animal he had been just a few minutes ago.

He acted like a jerk who purposely ignored her after satisfying his needs. That was the only thought in Jillian's mind at that moment.

"Rhett, today is our fifth wedding anniversary. Will you be home tonight?" She slowly pulled herself out of bed and walked up to him, wrapping her arms around his waist from behind.

The next thing she knew, Rhett was shoving her hands away. He took a step forward and turned to face her, his tall and broad-shouldered frame towering over her.

Jillian's heart skipped a beat. Despite what they had just shared, he still had the power to intimidate her.

Rhett turned his attention back to his clothes, dusting his shirt as he spoke in an indifferent tone. "I'm busy with company matters."

"I see... So, you won't be coming home? I can wait even if you arrive late." Jillian gritted her teeth and tried to swallow the hurt that was bubbling in her chest.

She had always known that Rhett didn't love her, and had initially resigned herself to a loveless marriage. But it had been five years. Even the most aloof man would have given in by now, especially with how frequent and intense their bedroom activities were.

"Are you forgetting our agreement, Jillian?" Rhett drawled out as he picked up a luxurious watch on the nightstand and latched it around his wrist. He paused only long enough to look her in the eye. "I can give you the title of Mrs. Wilson, but that is the extent of our relationship."

His voice carried a hint of impatience, and with that, he strode to the door.

Jillian's lips curled into a wry smile.

Without warning, she rushed after him and grabbed his arm. "I haven't forgotten, but it's been five years. Can you honestly say that you have no feelings for me at all?"

Instead of looking at her face, Rhett just glanced at her hand on his arm and frowned. He couldn't believe that his usually docile and obedient wife had it in her to stop him. How bold.

"Your question is pointless," he said in a dull tone as he pulled his arm free. "I have a meeting this morning. I'm giving you ten minutes to say what you want to say. Now, speak."

"Are you really going to the company?" Jillian asked, her voice trembling slightly. "Or are you off to see Emalee Carter?"

Emalee Carter was coming back to the city.

This was something Jillian had to learn from the newspapers, because Rhett had never thought to mention Emalee's return to her.

Emalee was a rising star in the field of jewelry design. She had made her mark with the distinguished piece, The Heart of the Night. It had been a while since Jillian paid attention to the goings-on in the jewelry industry, but she still managed to catch snippets of the so-called genius' achievements here and there.

Emalee's name always caught her eye because she knew of the woman's significance to Rhett. Emalee was the one who held his heart.

The thought brought a bitter taste to Jillian's mouth. She took a deep breath and made up her mind there and then.

Walking back to the bed, she opened the drawer of the nightstand and retrieved the divorce agreement she had prepared beforehand. She made sure her voice was calm and steady when she said, "Let's get divorced, Rhett."

"Do you hear yourself, Jillian?" Rhett asked with a dark scowl. He glanced at the papers she was holding and scoffed.

He had always viewed Jillian as some sort of parasite. She needed to cling to him in order to survive, and he was already accustomed to her lack of self-reliance and utter dependence on him. Rhett had never even considered her stepping out of the box she had set for herself.

So he was quick to dismiss her suggestion of a divorce.

In his mind, Jillian was just throwing another tantrum.

Perhaps he had spoiled her too much over the years, that she had ultimately forgotten her place. Countless women were lining up to be Mrs. Wilson, even now that someone had already acquired the title. Yet the official Mrs. Wilson herself seemed to want more.

Well, she was in for a harsh reality check.

"What gives you the audacity to bring up divorce? Aren't you just the adopted daughter of the Matthews family? I was the one forced into this marriage, but I never mentioned divorce. What gives you the right to say it to my face? Do you even realize how many women are poised to take your position? It looks like you've grown so comfortably to a life of luxury that you've completely left your past behind. Let me remind you that everything you currently enjoy is owed to the fact that you are married to me. Go on, look around at the designer clothes in your closet and the limited-edition jewelry in your dresser. Each piece costs a fortune. Whenever you step out in public, everyone treats you with courtesy and respect. Do you know why? Because you are Mrs. Rhett Wilson. Without my name, you are nothing."

Rhett's words were like daggers that repeatedly stabbed Jillian's heart.

She couldn't listen to another word. "That's enough!"

The corners of her eyes had turned red from her effort to keep her tears at bay. As cruel as Rhett was, she couldn't refute the things he said. It was all true.

Jillian was just adopted; she had never been in a position to refuse him, much less divorce him.

She hadn't thought this through properly. She realized too late that she had simply given Rhett a reason to mock her. Jillian couldn't stand the humiliation, but they both knew she had no choice but to take it on the chin.

"I'm sure you were just acting up. You got carried away. I won't hold it against you. Just do what you're expected to do as Mrs. Wilson and don't bother yourself with matters that are none of your business."

Rhett ended his remark with a deprecating smirk at his so-called wife. He looked her up and down, as if he was appraising a piece of commodity instead of a person.

This time, when he headed to the door, Jillian didn't go after him.

She crumpled to the floor as soon as the door clicked shut. She clutched the divorce papers between her hands and stared at the print in a daze.

It was the ringing of her phone that snapped her back to her senses. She quickly answered after seeing her mother's name on the screen.

"Jillian!" Helena Matthews cried out tearfully the moment the call got connected. "Your father and grandfather were in a car accident. They are both in critical condition..."

"What did you say?" All at once, Jillian turned alert.

After getting the details of the hospital, she tossed the divorce papers haphazardly on the nightstand and left in a hurry.

Jillian's mind was blank as she waited outside the ICU with her mother.

She had no idea how long they were there, but when the doctor finally came out, it was to tell them that their attempts to revive the patients were unsuccessful. Helena fainted on the spot.

As Jillian tended to her mother, some members of the Matthews family arrived at the hospital.

It was unanimously decided to keep the deaths of her father, Joshua Matthews, and her grandfather, Gerald Matthews, under wraps. Arrangements were made for a small funeral service.

Given Helena's fragile state, Jillian had to step in and take over some of the family affairs. Even then, as an adopted daughter, she didn't really have the power to affect the elders' decisions.

With the death of the patriarch, Jillian's uncle, Phil Matthews, temporarily acted as the family head.

Although the funeral was a low-key affair, quite a number of people in their circle were in attendance that day, paying their respects to the departed. Rhett did not come.

Jillian spent a good amount of time in the empty hallway of the ceremonial hall, calling her husband time and time again. At last, he picked up.

It wasn't Rhett who answered the call, however, but another woman.

"Is this Mrs. Wilson? Sorry, but Rhett is already asleep. If you like, you can leave a message and I'll pass it on to him when he wakes up."

Jillian's breath caught in her throat. She blinked several times to keep her tears at bay, and then immediately hung up.

"Did you manage to get in touch with your husband yet? How can he not show up today? What would the guests think of our family if he doesn't attend his in-laws' funeral?" Vivian Matthews prattled on as she came striding down the hallway.

Jillian turned to stare at her with wide eyes.

Vivian was Phil's wife. While he took care of external matters, she handled everything within the family. To put it simply, Vivian's will was as good as Phil's.

It was no secret that Phil wanted to meet Rhett.

The Wilson Group had once been inferior to the Matthews Group. Once Rhett took over his family's company, however, it quickly rose to prominence, surpassing many other conglomerates.

Even barring the fact that he was married to Jillian, Rhett's absence from the Matthews family's funeral service was bound to cause some rumors.

It would be particularly damaging to the Matthews Group, considering their current declining position in the business landscape.

"Rhett..." Jillian started, struggling to get the words out. "He's busy at the moment."

"Busy? So what? No matter how busy he is, he should be able to spare some time for such an important family affair." Vivian had more to say on the subject, but she cut herself off when a familiar face appeared.

Rhett's assistant, Aaron Barnes, walked up to them and offered a small but respectful bow to Jillian. "I apologize, Mrs. Wilson, but Mr. Wilson is currently occupied with business matters. He has sent me here on his behalf."

Aaron was dressed in a three-piece black suit. After addressing Jillian, he turned to Vivian and nodded slightly. "Hello, Mrs. Matthews. My boss has asked me to deliver the proposal your husband previously requested, by way of apology for his absence."

He handed a folder to Vivian.

Vivian's face instantly lit up at the sight of the document. She accepted it with a warm smile and not a second's hesitation.

"Thank you for coming all the way here. We really appreciate it. It's understandable that Mr. Wilson is so busy, he must have a lot on his plate." She had completely changed her tune from the one she had been singing just a few minutes ago.

Jillian glanced briefly at the document, and then quietly moved to the side. She didn't say anything else, her eyes dazed as she stared up ahead. Her hands were clenched at her sides, so tightly that her nails dug into her palms.

She didn't feel any pain, though.

The TV hanging on the hallway wall was broadcasting some entertainment news.

Wilson Group's CEO was spotted at the airport today, welcoming home the esteemed jewelry designer, Emalee Carter.

Jillian stared at Rhett's gentle expression as he stood next to Emalee, and felt her heart shatter all over again. She hated to admit it, but they did look like the perfect couple.

Jillian didn't even notice Aaron leaving. Seeing that she was distracted, Vivian turned in the direction of her gaze. The volume of the TV was low, but Vivian was sharp enough to catch what was going on. She looked at Jillian in silence, her eyes filled with pity.

It was the next day when Rhett finally went home.

Dusk was falling as he walked through the door of the living room. "Where is Jillian?" he asked the servant who took his coat.

Jillian wasn't waiting for him in the foyer like she usually did. How odd.

"She locked herself in her room as soon as she arrived yesterday," the servant replied in a cautious tone. "She hasn't come out since."

Yesterday? Rhett's brows furrowed.

He was aware of the tragedy that had struck the Matthews family on the very night that it happened. He also knew that the funeral was yesterday, but Rhett had been tied up with work and couldn't slip out to attend the service.

But he made sure to have Aaron fill in for him, and he trusted the man implicitly. Aaron had always been reliable at his job. What could have possibly upset Jillian this time?

Rhett grew irritable at the prospect of having to deal with a sullen Jillian again.

He trudged upstairs and made a beeline for the bedroom.

He stood in front of the closed door for a moment, his lips pressed into a thin line.

Then he grabbed the doorknob and twisted, but it didn't budge. Jillian had locked it from the inside.

Anger surged inside Rhett, but he chose to stifle it and knocked lightly on the door. "It's me, Jillian. Open up."