Divorcing The Tyrant: Falling For My Temptress Wife

Late at night, Rosanna Williams lay in bed, her breathing fast and her cheeks red.

Her husband, Oliver Marshall, had been out drinking during some business gatherings and had come home in an unusually cheerful mood. He had been full of energy and didn't hold back when they got intimate, going at it five times, leaving her completely worn out.

By the fourth round, they had already run out of condoms.

During the final time, Oliver's eyes were burning with desire as he pinned her down. Everything between them became a blur of heat and chaos.

The passion had been thrilling, but once it was over, Rosanna was the only one left to deal with the consequences.

At twenty-eight, Oliver was at his peak-doing well in business and having a strong libido.

Throughout their three-year marriage, he had always been careful about using protection.

In the beginning, Rosanna hadn't thought much about having kids, but over the past six months, something had changed. She found herself longing for a baby with Oliver.

Oliver wasn't just handsome; he also knew exactly what to do in bed. And sometimes, when he whispered those soft, teasing words, it was enough to melt her.

It had been a year since Rosanna realized her feelings toward Oliver had shifted. She had gone from feeling nothing to actually caring for him.

To be precise, she had fallen in love with him.

But Oliver's warmth toward her only showed up in bed. When they were not being intimate, he was just as cold and distant as always.

"Don't forget to take birth control pills," Oliver said in a flat voice, snapping her out of her thoughts. "A pregnancy would just make things messy."

Rosanna just nodded in reply, feeling disheartened.

She knew she was ovulating, but with him being drunk, even if she did get pregnant, she couldn't keep the baby.

Still, his words hurt more than she wanted to admit.

Oliver put on his pajamas and walked into the bathroom.

Rosanna watched him until he was out of sight, then finally looked away.

Just then, a sudden phone ring shattered the quiet in the room.

Rosanna took Oliver's phone and looked at it. The name "Millie" lit up on the screen.

Millie Rogers, Oliver's secretary, was always gentle and graceful. She had a charm that everyone seemed to like.

Word was, Millie had given up a top-paying job in Klenridge six years ago just to work near Oliver. Officially, she was just his secretary, but rumors circulated that they were lovers.

Suddenly, Oliver's hand reached out and grabbed the phone right out of Rosanna's hand.

"Millie," he said warmly to the phone, his voice full of affection and joy.

Rosanna felt as if a knife had pierced straight through her heart.

Oliver never talked to her that way; his tone with her was always cold and clipped, never this affectionate.

"Oliver, someone's harassing me. Please come get me. I'm at the Zero Club..." Millie's distressed voice came through the phone clearly. Rosanna heard every word.

"I'll go there now," Oliver said quickly. "I'll have a friend nearby to go and help you first. You find a safe place and lock the door. Did you call the police?" His face turned serious as he strode into the walk-in closet.

Rosanna sat there, shaking with rage. She didn't even bother putting on her shoes as she followed him inside.

Just a month ago, during an outdoor shoot in the northern suburbs with her TV crew, their van had veered off the road, crashing into a ditch to dodge a dump truck.

Thankfully, no one died, but everyone came out injured.

Her leg had been hurt and bleeding badly. Panicked and in pain, she had called Oliver.

But Oliver had been at some dinner event at that time. Despite hearing her sobs, he had coldly said, "If you can still make a call, then it's not that serious." He had then hung up without a second thought.

Yet now, here he was-ready to rush over to Millie when he was still drunk without hesitation. Rosanna knew it had to be because he loved Millie deeply.

Oliver quickly got dressed, still murmuring comforting words into the phone as he walked towards the front door. Rosanna couldn't hear Millie clearly, but she could hear her sobs.

Standing in front of the door to stop Oliver from leaving, Rosanna bit down on her lip and said, "You've had too much to drink. You can't drive like this."

"Are you being jealous, or are you worried about me?" Oliver asked, lifting her chin with a glint in his eyes.

Rosanna looked at him, her eyes soft, her voice steady. "I'm worried about you."

"Save the fake concern," Oliver said, letting go of her face, his voice void of warmth.

Before Rosanna could even respond, he pushed her aside, making her lose her balance and fall to the floor.

Then, without hesitation, he walked past her and left.

The house fell silent, and Rosanna was left alone.

A wave of bitterness washed over her, so strong that it seemed to twist her insides. It hurt everywhere, but she couldn't even cry.

Her face had gone pale, and her eyes were red as she held back tears.

She stayed there, sitting on the floor, until her legs went numb. Then, she finally forced herself to stand.

She didn't want to go back to the bedroom, so she curled up on the sofa instead, closing her eyes, her thoughts a tangled mess.

Suddenly, the sound of her phone ringing broke the silence.

The sharp tone pulled her back to reality. Thinking it might be Oliver calling her, she quickly got up and rushed from the living room to the bedroom, answering the call without a second thought.

"Rosanna! Your husband just caused a huge scene at the Zero Club because of Millie! He smashed a beer bottle over some guy's head; there was blood everywhere. It was insane!"

Rosanna's best friend, Leah Ahmed, was on the line, her voice full of urgency.

Rosanna tried to stay composed and barely managed to mutter, "Oh."

She wasn't shocked. Knowing how far Oliver would go for Millie, she wouldn't have been surprised even if Leah had said he killed someone.

The Zero Club wasn't just any club; it was the most elite private club in Qegan. It was the place where Oliver often partied with his friends.

Leah continued, "Some drunk guy cornered Millie near the bathroom and tried to assault her. One of the witnesses said there were hickeys on her chest and that her underwear had been pulled down. Thank goodness Millie had the sense to lock herself in the women's restroom before things got worse..."

Rosanna didn't hear the rest of Leah's words, her mind drifting elsewhere. Eventually, Leah ended the call.

Leah's call had wiped away any remaining sense of sleep from her, leaving her clutching the phone so tightly that her knuckles went pale.

How could she not be angry about this?

She had forced herself to stay calm during the call, clinging to the last piece of dignity she had.

She tried to distract herself by scrolling through her phone, but the news of Oliver's fight at the Zero Club was already spreading across the internet.

The stories painted Oliver as a passionate lover, a man willing to risk everything for his loved one, portraying him as a bold and hopeless romantic.

The more Rosanna read, the angrier she became. She couldn't take it anymore, so she put her phone away and switched off the bedside lamp.

Surrounded by darkness, she felt her thoughts become sharper.

In the three years of their marriage, Oliver had never once publicly announced their relationship. Instead, he had spent his time mingling with women from different clubs. Millie, confident in his favoritism, had always made sure to rub it in her face.

Right now, she found herself questioning her marriage to Oliver, the one that had already been decaying from the inside out.

The sound of the door opening broke her thoughts. She checked the time; it was half past five in the morning.

Oliver was back, but he didn't return to their bedroom. He walked straight into the study.

Rosanna climbed out of bed, taking a deep breath before walking toward the study and knocking on the door.

There was no answer.

She knocked again, this time turning the handle to open the door and entering.

"Did I let you in?" Oliver's voice was sharp, his expression darkening instantly at the sudden interruption.

Rosanna hesitated for a moment. Then, she gathered all her courage to meet his gaze. "Let's get a divorce."

The study was only lit by a faint lamp, casting a dim light on Rosanna's face, which showed a mix of deep sorrow and strong resolve.

She had said the word "divorce" with all the strength she had left. She had lost all hope in the marriage.

Oliver looked at her, his gaze intense. "Rosanna, do you even realize what you're saying?"

"Yes." Rosanna dropped her gaze, the nervous tremor in her voice betraying her emotions. "I want a divorce."

Oliver's attractive face was filled with mockery as he lit a cigarette, letting the smoke swirl around him.

His sharp features became even more striking in the haze, while his dark eyes showed no emotion.

Rosanna pushed down the bitterness inside her. "It's better for us to separate now than stay in a marriage without love."

"My assets will always be mine because of the prenuptial agreement. If we divorce, you won't get a penny." Oliver took a long drag from his cigarette.

Her voice was flat, barely above a whisper. "I know."

The truth was, she had been crushed by disappointment after disappointment in this marriage until nothing was left but despair.

Oliver's boundless indulgence toward Millie had already crushed the budding affection she had felt for him.

"Three years ago, the Marshall Group's new energy project in Qegan was placed in Jiford as a wedding gift for you. That investment, worth over a hundred million dollars, helped Preston become the head of the local government in Jiford." Oliver's eyes turned cold. "Now, the project still hasn't made any profit, and you're ready to divorce me?"

Rosanna's face twitched, his words hitting a nerve.

Preston Burton was her stepfather. Three years ago, the Marshall Group's huge investment had given him the boost he needed to beat out three other candidates for his current position.

Deciding to divorce wasn't easy; it was something she had thought about for a long time.

Even though she missed the rare times when Oliver showed her kindness, the thought of him beating someone hard for Millie broke her heart.

She couldn't take it anymore.

"You and Miss Rogers can be together now. I won't stand in your way." Rosanna managed a smile, hiding all the reluctance and pain she felt.

"Millie and I never felt like you were in our way." Oliver casually blew a few smoke rings.

Rosanna noticed that he still spoke Millie's name with so much affection, like it was the most important thing in the world.

But for Rosanna, his tenderness only came during their most intimate moments; outside of that, he always addressed her in a distant tone.

She clenched her jaw. "I've had enough of living like this, being treated with no respect."

"Seems like you've forgotten how you became my wife," Oliver said, his eyes full of mockery. "Do you really think you have any right to talk about respect with me?"

Rosanna was immediately reminded of that humiliating, rainy night three years ago.

A rush of hurt and humiliation flooded her heart.

"You knew exactly what this marriage would be from the start, but you still schemed to get married to me, and Preston got his position because of me. So, if I don't want a divorce, you could only listen to me and bear all this. I don't care if you are treated with respect or not," Oliver continued, noticing her silence.

Rosanna's body shook a little, and her face looked completely drained of color.

So, in Oliver's mind, their marriage was nothing more than a business deal.

At first, she had felt the same way. But after two long years of marriage, she had slowly started to believe this marriage might turn into something real.

She realized she shouldn't have let herself think that way.

Luckily, whatever feelings that had started to grow in her heart could still be crushed now.

Oliver stubbed out his cigarette in the ashtray and walked away.

A few moments later, Rosanna heard the shower running in the bathroom.

At that moment, her heart sank into complete despair.

In their three years of marriage, they had never gone for a walk, watched a movie, or even had a quiet meal out together like normal couples.

The only time things ever felt close between them was when they were in bed.

The first two years of their marriage had been full of silent treatment and cold shoulders.

It wasn't until the third year that things had started to change a little.

Oliver had begun showing her a bit of patience and gentleness, something he had never done before. He would say a few kind words during the holidays or surprise her with small gifts.

Slowly, without realizing it, she had started warming up to him, trying to care about him and learn what he liked.

She wasn't used to housework, but she still learned to make different kinds of breakfast for him.

Since their lives barely crossed paths outside the bedroom, breakfast was her only chance to keep him around a little longer.

Even though she knew it was silly and kind of sad, she still couldn't stop herself from doing that.

But Millie always came along to crush those tiny hopes she had.

If Oliver cared about her even a little, why would he still be hiding their marriage from everyone?

Once Oliver finished his shower, he walked straight into the guest room next door to sleep.

Rosanna was exhausted from lack of sleep, but she still got up early and made Oliver his favorite coffee before heading to work.

She worked as a financial news anchor at Qegan Television.

The station wasn't as popular as it used to be because of new media, but her talk show still had high ratings, making her kind of a local celebrity in Qegan.

After clocking in and walking into her office, Rosanna began to feel weak.

She opened her drawer, grabbed the cookies she had prepared in advance, and ate a few, finally feeling better.

She gained weight pretty easily, especially around her face.

To stay camera-ready, she had to follow a rigid diet.

Every day, she ate plain food like boiled eggs, veggies, and lean meat. She was very thin for her height.

She had low blood sugar, so she always needed a bit of sugar to make it through the day.

With about twenty days to go before Christmas, her workload had tripled.

She already had a live broadcasting show, Financial News, twice a week and recorded talk shows to prepare. Now, she also had to join rehearsals for the Christmas gala.

While having lunch in the cafeteria, she overheard some coworkers gossiping and found out Oliver's fight in the club had gone viral.

Her hands shook as she picked up her phone to check the social media.

Online, people had painted Oliver and Millie into a fairytale-he, the charming trillionaire; she, the pitiful Cinderella.

Many people who knew nothing about the truth were already pushing for Oliver to marry Millie.

Rosanna's appetite vanished after just a few bites of the carefully measured lunch.

After clocking out in the evening, she stopped by the pharmacy to buy the morning-after pill.

She took her time, carefully picking the one with the mildest side effects.

But just as she was about to pay, she ran into Oliver.

He wasn't alone. Millie was with him.

Millie sported a dramatic bandage across her forehead and visible scabs on her hand.

That soft, pitiful look she wore was enough to stir any man's desire to protect.

Millie and Oliver walked into the pharmacy together, laughing and chatting. They looked like a loving couple.

It wasn't the first time Rosanna had seen them together like this, yet she still felt pain in her heart.

"Oliver." She kept her voice level, swallowing her emotions as she greeted him stiffly.

Oliver barely acknowledged her, his eyes falling on the pill box. "Take more than one; I don't want any surprises."

His words cut through her like a blade, but with Millie standing there, she had no choice but to keep her composure.

"Don't worry. There won't be," she replied, managing a stiff smile.

People often said that children were the result of love, but to Oliver, they were nothing more than unwanted surprises.

Or maybe it was just her children he saw that way.

If it were Millie's children with him, things would likely be very different.

"Fancy seeing you here, Ms. Williams," Millie said to Rosanna with sugary politeness. "You know, too much of that kind of medicine can mess with your hormones. Even the best brands can bring menopause knocking earlier than you'd like."

Though Millie knew Rosanna was married to Oliver, she still addressed her as "Ms. Williams" every time she saw her, never acknowledging her as Oliver's wife.

Rosanna knew it was Oliver who gave Millie the nerve to act this way.

She thought if Oliver and Millie were such a happy pair, why hadn't Oliver ended their marriage and made Millie his wife already?

After all, three years had passed since they had gotten married; whatever leverage Preston had once held over Oliver had long since lost its bite.

Rosanna didn't have the energy to talk to Millie. She turned to pay for the medicine.

"Oliver drank too much last night and felt awful all day today," Millie said to Rosanna. "Shouldn't you have taken better care of him as his wife?"

The words grated on Rosanna's nerves.

She turned slowly and met Millie's smug gaze. "So you do know I'm Oliver's wife, Miss Rogers..."

Rosanna stood firm, her eyes locked on Millie with the unwavering resolve of a woman facing the one who had come between her and her husband.

She said, "Miss Rogers, as Oliver's employee, you clearly know about my relationship with him. Yet, you persist in crossing the line and provoking me. Are you really foolish, or are you doing this deliberately to achieve something?"

"I'm sorry, Ms. Williams. Oh, I meant Mrs. Marshall," Millie said, hastily correcting herself with a flustered look as she pressed her hand to her lips. "I made a mistake. Please don't take it to heart."

She wore a look of such fragile innocence, looking very pitiful.

Rosanna didn't fall for it. She knew exactly what Millie was doing-putting on a pitiful act to gain Oliver's sympathy. "I'm not worthy of your apology," she said with sarcasm. "You're clearly the one who deserves sympathy here-poor you, always the victim."

"Oliver, Mrs. Marshall's still upset with me... Maybe it's about what happened last night at the club," Millie said to Oliver. "Could you help me explain things to her?"

Her sugary tone made Rosanna's skin crawl.

Rosanna glanced at Oliver.

Oliver took a slow drag of his cigarette, his face cold. "There's nothing to explain," he said.

"I just worry she'll blame me for coming between you two, thinking I am the other woman," Millie said, her intent clear.

Without a flicker of hesitation, Oliver said, "Millie, go get my medicine. Don't waste time talking to people who don't matter."

It was clear that in his eyes, compared to Millie, Rosanna was just a person who didn't matter.

Rosanna suppressed the bitterness and anger in her chest and quietly walked out of the pharmacy without saying a word.

Inside the car, her hands trembled as she gripped the wheel. It took her two failed attempts before the engine finally started.

Over and over, she told herself not to get angry.

Three months ago, a routine checkup had revealed a tiny two-millimeter lump in her left breast. She was due for a follow-up appointment tomorrow morning.

Curious and a little anxious, she had asked Leah, who was also her gynecologist, why someone her age would develop something like that.

Leah had responded with certainty that most illnesses stemmed from stress and anger. And in Rosanna's case, she believed that always getting angry because of Oliver was the reason for her illness.

Rosanna had brushed it off at the time, calling it nonsense, but deep down, a part of her agreed.

Because if she were honest with herself, the past three years had been nothing short of suffering for her. She had been angered by Oliver too many times.

If her feelings for Oliver had remained as distant as they had been three years ago, none of this would've hurt her. But the problem was that somewhere along the way, she had started to care about him.

As the sky grew darker, she found herself driving with no destination in mind, just letting the road take her.

That was when it hit her-aside from Nexus Villa, she had no place to go in the entire city of Qegan.

Nexus Villa, her so-called home with Oliver, belonged entirely to Oliver. Before the wedding, he had made her sign a prenup, giving her only temporary rights to live there. And with the way Oliver treated her, every time she entered Nexus Villa, she felt less like a wife and more like a tenant.

Going back now would just mean walking into another silent, empty house. Oliver was rarely there anyway, spending most nights out at social events and not coming back until morning.

To keep herself from feeling lonely, Rosanna made working overtime her daily routine.

She buried herself in work every evening just to avoid the emptiness that waited for her at home. If it weren't for the need to get the morning-after pill today, she would probably still be sitting in her office now.

Eventually, she made her way back to Nexus Villa. But as soon as she opened the door, the sharp smell of cigarette smoke hit her.

Oliver stood near the floor-to-ceiling window in the living room, speaking into his phone.

With his back turned, he stood tall and composed. His voice, though low, carried a gentle warmth she had never heard before.

"Dr. Griffiths said it won't leave a scar on your forehead. But if you're still worried, I can take you to Klenridge the day after tomorrow to see an expert. Even if a scar remains, I don't mind..."

Rosanna remembered the white gauze on Millie's forehead from earlier. She didn't need to guess; it was clear Oliver was talking to Millie on the phone.

Whatever small relief she had felt upon seeing him home evaporated. She quietly put her handbag and coat away and walked straight to the bathroom.

After washing her face, she was applying some moisturizer when she noticed Oliver appear at the door.

"At eight tomorrow, my mother's friend is arriving in Qegan. I need you to pick her up at the airport," Oliver said flatly.

Rosanna sighed inwardly. Whenever Oliver approached her voluntarily, it was about requesting her to do something.

"The person is an old friend of my mother's and also one of her business partners. Take a couple of days off and show her around the city. Whatever you spend, I'll cover it." Without waiting for a response, Oliver turned and walked straight into the study, assuming she had agreed.

Rosanna's chest tightened. Tears pricked the corners of her eyes as she went to the study and said, "Get someone else to do that. I have other things I need to do tomorrow."

Oliver didn't even look at her. "Everything's already arranged. Karl will handle the driving and meals. You just need to keep her company and make conversation."

His eyes never left the computer screen. He didn't take her earlier words seriously at all.

Staring at him, she felt anger rising in her chest. "I have a doctor's appointment for a follow-up tomorrow morning."

"A follow-up for what?" Oliver asked.

"I already told you. They found a nodule in my left breast during my last checkup. Tomorrow's the time for a follow-up."

"It's just a small nodule. Waiting two more days won't change anything," Oliver replied, still staring at his screen.

Rosanna clenched her jaw. "I waited so long to get this specialist appointment. I'm not rescheduling."

Oliver didn't even blink. "You and my mother always have a strained relationship. If you can get along with her friend, maybe things will improve between you two."

His tone had no room for negotiation. "That's settled."

Rosanna opened her mouth to protest, but the firm look in Oliver's eyes silenced her. After a long pause, she said, "Fine."

After returning to the master bedroom, she touched her cheeks and realized they were already wet with tears.

Her phone rang just then. She glanced at the screen, recognizing the number, and declined the call without hesitation.

A moment later, another number from the city of Jiford appeared on the screen. Without even blinking, she blocked the number.

That night, Oliver remained in the study. Not once did he step into the master bedroom.

When Rosanna woke the next morning, Oliver was already dressed, ready to leave for work.

He looked a little tired, with dark circles under his eyes suggesting he probably hadn't slept well last night.

Still, the fatigue did little to dull his sharp features or the quiet elegance in the way he moved.

"Karl will be waiting for you in the garage in thirty minutes," he said, checking his watch before glancing briefly in her direction.

It was a fleeting look, barely enough for her to catch before it was gone.

As he reached for the door, she couldn't help but say, "Miss Rogers is better at playing hostess than I am. Maybe you should let her do this."

Oliver stopped but didn't turn to look at her. "You're still my wife. If Millie were sent to entertain a family guest, it would only confirm the rumors of us having a relationship extending beyond the professional."

So that was it. He was using her to protect Millie's reputation.

He must have known that people who were aware of his marital status had already been gossiping about the incident at the Zero Club last night, where he had beaten someone up for Millie.

As he closed the door behind him, a gust of cold wind swept in, sending a chill down Rosanna's spine.

On the way to the airport, she asked Karl Price, Oliver's assistant, how Oliver intended to deal with the growing rumors about him and Millie online.

But Karl just gave her that slick smile of his and played dumb.

No matter how much she pressed, he kept his lips sealed about the matter.

At the airport, she and Karl waited until nine. Then, Karl got a call, and after a brief conversation, he frowned. "Change of plans," he said to Rosanna. "She has postponed her trip. She'll be coming to Qegan next week."

A wave of anger hit Rosanna, but she quickly masked it. She didn't want to lose her composure in Karl's presence.

Karl then drove her to the hospital. After checking in, she noticed a long line, at least a dozen patients before her.

With no other option, she waited.

After receiving the breast ultrasound results, she couldn't make sense of the images, but the text was clear-the nodule in her left breast had grown to 2.5 millimeters.

Panic crept in. Just three months ago, it had only been 2.0 millimeters.

That extra half millimeter felt like a warning bell, and it rattled her.