The CEO Drove His Mute Wife Away, Now He Regrets

"Jessica, send a bottle of warm honey water to my hotel room. I need it to sober up."

Because of that brief message from her husband, Jessica Howard left the house close to midnight.

Late autumn cold gnawed at her skin as she stood by the roadside, waiting far too long before a cab finally stopped in front of her.

By the time the car pulled up in front of the hotel, the chill had seeped into her bones, her lips darkening with a faint purplish hue.

She followed the room number her husband, Adrian Buckley, had given her, walking down the quiet corridor until she stopped outside the designated door.

Her raised hand hesitated when she noticed the door was not fully shut, a narrow gap left open, almost as though someone had deliberately left it that way.

From inside, a woman's voice drifted out, soft and teasing. "Adrian, when are you going to divorce my mute sister?"

Jessica's entire body froze at that.

She recognized that voice instantly. It belonged to her half-sister, Eleanor Howard.

And her sister was clearly talking to her husband.

Jessica's first instinct was to turn around and walk away, yet the warmth of the water bottle in her pocket reminded her that she was here for a reason, and she forced herself to push the door wide open.

The moment she appeared in the doorway, Adrian looked up sharply, his gaze cold as he snapped, "Why are you here?"

Jessica dropped her eyes and reached into her pocket, carefully pulling out the bottle.

Before she could hand it to Adrian, Eleanor lunged forward and seized it from her grasp.

"Oh my, Jessica!" Eleanor said with exaggerated surprise. "You came all this way just to deliver honey water to Adrian?"

She let out a light laugh. "How considerate. But he does not need your concern. He isn't drunk at all."

With a flick of her wrist, Eleanor tossed the bottle into the trash can, then casually picked up a phone from the table, scrolling through it as she cast Jessica a sideways glance filled with mockery.

Jessica recognized that phone at once. It was Adrian's.

In that instant, a realization settled heavily in her chest.

The message that summoned her to the hotel had never been sent by Adrian; it had come from Eleanor.

Eleanor's boldness was fueled by Adrian's indulgence, his affection giving her the confidence to act without restraint.

Jessica felt her heart sink. She slowly lifted her hands and signed, "The honey water has been delivered. I will leave now."

As she turned toward the door, Eleanor's syrupy voice reached her again.

"Adrian, do you think she heard everything we said just now? What if she goes back and complains to your family about it? You know how difficult life is for a single mother like me, raising a child alone. I really cannot afford any more trouble."

She spoke with a gentle tone, each word sounding harmless yet cutting deep.

Jessica shook her head quickly, desperate to deny the accusation.

She had never complained to the Buckley family about anything; it was simply that the Buckley family had never approved of Adrian associating himself with a widow who already had a child.

Adrian did not spare her a glance. His voice cut through the air as he issued a cold command. "Why are you still standing there? Leave!"

Jessica's eyes burned, the rims flushing red as she lowered her head and nodded.

But Eleanor was far from satisfied. Her voice sharpened as she said, "The position of Adrian's wife was supposed to be mine, yet you took it before I ever had the chance."

She paused, eyes flashing with hurt. "What more do you want from me? Do you have to destroy me and my son completely?"

With that, she broke into sobs, crying as if she were the one who had been deeply wronged.

Adrian immediately softened, drawing her closer as he murmured, "That is all in the past. Do not worry. As long as I am here, no one will dare bully you or Lucas."

Jessica stood there, listening to their voices behind her, each word pressing into her chest until the pain became unbearable.

On their wedding day, Adrian had made it clear to her-other than the title of his wife, he would give her nothing, and she was not to hope for anything that was never meant to be hers.

Among the things she was forbidden to expect was love, and Adrian himself.

To put it plainly, Adrian had never loved her at all.

She was the foolish one, falling in love with someone who was never meant for her.

The thought made Jessica's nose sting, heat gathering behind her eyes as tears threatened to fall.

She held them back, turned away, and hurried out of the hotel without looking back.

Eleanor waited until the door shut before turning to Adrian, looping her arms around his neck as she said softly, "Adrian, can you really not divorce her and marry me instead?"

The warmth in Adrian's eyes vanished in an instant at that, his expression hardening as he replied, "I told you not to bring this up again. I can give you anything you want, but I can't give you the title of my wife."

Those words sent Eleanor's tears streaming down her cheeks. "Then who will hold that title? That mute sister of mine? You clearly do not love her at all. Why are you still staying with her?"

Adrian's brows tightened with irritation, yet Eleanor didn't notice it as she spun on her heel, storming out of the room, her footsteps loud after her outburst.

Adrian had drunk some that night, not enough to lose control, but his stomach still churned with discomfort.

The honey water Jessica had brought was already thrown in the trash by Eleanor, so Adrian left the room with the intention of asking the hotel staff to get him another bottle.

He had not gone far when he spotted Jessica standing near the elevator. His voice stopped her in place. "Why have you not gone back yet?"

Jessica turned at the sound, clearly startled to see him. Unsure of how to respond, she just lowered her head, her gaze fixed on the floor, lingering on the tips of her feet.

She had rushed out earlier wearing only thin slippers.

Somewhere along the way, they had been torn open at the front, a large rip exposing her toes, the shoes clearly no longer wearable.

Adrian followed her line of sight, then reached out and pulled her closer. "I will have someone bring you another pair."

He guided her back toward the hotel room, telling her to remove the damaged slippers.

Under the weight of his gaze, Jessica felt embarrassment creep up her neck as she took the slippers off, heat blooming across her face.

Adrian's eyes lingered briefly on her small, delicate feet before his arm circled her waist, drawing her in as he lowered his lips to hers.

Jessica instinctively softened, curling into his hold as the scent of alcohol reached her, intertwined with Eleanor's heavy perfume, a cloying presence she was unable to ignore.

She shifted slightly, placing her palm against his chest in a clear attempt to push him away.

But Adrian disregarded the weak resistance, his mouth pressing harder against hers as he forced her backward until she sank into the sofa.

There was a sharp, predatory tension to him, his lean frame looming close, all restraint stripped away.

Without any foreplay, pain cut through Jessica, drawing a sharp breath from her lungs as tears welled in her eyes.

Adrian lifted a hand, brushing the tears from her cheek with his fingertip before bringing them to his lips, the desire in his gaze growing.

His eyes lingered on her tear-soaked face, a curve forming at the corner of his mouth as he murmured, "You cannot even moan? Poor thing."

Jessica's tears spilled faster at his words.

She couldn't speak.

How could she make a sound for him?

Adrian knew this better than anyone, yet every time they were intimate, he said something like that to humiliate her, as if trying to force her to speak to satisfy his twisted sense of fun.

Jessica shut her eyes, then lifted her face and leaned closer to his chest.

She tried to comply, knowing that the more obedient she appeared, the less pain she would endure during their intimacy.

A flicker crossed Adrian's expression as his hand closed around her slender neck, his lips claiming hers again with force, though the movement of his body finally eased into something marginally gentler.

Meanwhile, after Eleanor stepped out of the hotel room, she waited for a long time, yet Adrian never came looking for her.

The realization struck her then that she had gotten out of line, prompting her to hurry back toward the room.

What she did not expect was that the moment she reached the door, unmistakable sounds of intimacy drifted from inside the room.

Fury flared instantly in Eleanor's eyes.

Adrian had always indulged her without restraint, yet he had never once slept with her.

It had not been for her lack of effort; she had gone out of her way to seduce him, only to be met with his cold indifference.

She had assumed that maybe his desires for intimacy were simply lukewarm, only to find him passionately having sex with Jessica now.

A sense of crisis she had never known before surged violently through Eleanor's chest.

Her fingers curled into a tight fist as a malicious idea appeared in her mind.

***

Jessica had no memory of when she had lost consciousness, but when awareness returned, she found herself already inside the Iris Mansion.

She lay alone on the bedroom bed; from the bathroom came the steady sound of running water, and she could see the faint outline of a figure inside.

Gathering her exhausted body, Jessica made her way downstairs, where breakfast had already been laid out by the servants.

She motioned the servants away, then poured coffee, juice, and milk, carefully setting the glasses at Adrian's usual spot.

Not long after, Adrian finished washing up and came downstairs, taking his seat at the dining table.

He reached for the coffee, and that single choice told Jessica he intended to head out once breakfast was over.

They ate without exchanging a word, and when they finished, Jessica went to get a fresh suit, preparing to assist him in changing.

Before she could move closer, Adrian turned his gaze on her and spoke in a low voice. "I'm going to the Buckley Estate today. You will accompany me."

Jessica froze for a brief moment, then gave a silent nod.

She then signed, "Should I wear something suitable for the occasion?"

Adrian caught the gesture, and as he studied her compliant expression, an irritation he could not explain stirred inside him.

Was that truly the only look she could offer him?

Had he married a wife, or some emotionless machine incapable of feeling?

This was utterly boring!

Jessica noticed his features harden at once and assumed she must have said something wrong. Panic flickered through her as she hastily began signing something, her movements growing more frantic by the second.

The flurry of complicated gestures only deepened Adrian's frustration since he could not make sense of them at all.

His gaze shifted away from her hands, his voice turning glacial as he said, "Wear whatever you want."

With that, he snatched the suit jacket from her hand and stormed out the door.

Not daring to let him wait for her for too long, Jessica rushed upstairs, slipped into a plain outfit without bothering with makeup, then hurried out after him.

By then, Adrian was already seated inside his black Rolls-Royce.

The rear door remained ajar, an unmistakable sign that it had been left open for Jessica.

Reclining against the seat, Adrian was resting, his eyes closed, his sharp profile softened by an uncharacteristic air of languid ease.

Steadying her breathing, Jessica climbed into the car without hesitation.

The vehicle glided smoothly toward the Buckley Estate, yet Jessica's mind wandered as she looked at the passing scenery outside the window.

Truth be told, she held little weight as Adrian's wife in the eyes of others.

That was because her marriage to Adrian had always been out of obligation rather than love.

Years ago, the Buckley Group had been framed and collapsed almost overnight.

On his deathbed, Keith Buckley had sent his eldest grandson, Adrian, to seek shelter with the Howard family, pledging that should the Buckley family ever rise again, a member of the Howards would become the wife of Adrian, heir to the Buckley family.

At the time, the Buckleys had set their sights on Eleanor, who was closer to Adrian.

The two appeared perfectly suited for each other.

And Adrian was genuinely fond of Eleanor, treating her with rare indulgence despite his normally reserved nature.

With Eleanor's agreement secured, the Howard family accepted the arrangement, planning to let Eleanor marry Adrian.

Yet the Buckley family failed to reclaim their former power for many years, and during that long period of time, Eleanor had a change of heart.

To her, a successor of a powerful family held far greater appeal than a man weighed down by a fallen lineage.

So, as soon as she graduated from university, she wasted no time getting together with a rich heir and marrying him.

Most people assumed the old arrangement would just be canceled like that, believing the Howard family had wronged Adrian.

Yet, contrary to every expectation, Adrian later single-handedly restored the Buckley family to its former glory and honored Keith's final wish by marrying a different daughter of the Howard couple.

Even so, Adrian likely harbored bitterness over Eleanor's betrayal which resulted in his marriage to a woman who could not speak, and that was why the union came without flowers, without rings, and without a ceremony; the Buckley family also never made any public acknowledgment of it.

In fact, many people were completely unaware that Adrian was married.

Jessica, though bearing the title of Adrian's wife, was nothing more than collateral damage in the tangled affairs between Adrian and Eleanor.

By the time the car pulled into the Buckley Estate, the clock had already edged past eleven in the morning.

It was nearly lunchtime, and the Buckley family had gathered in the dining room, voices overlapping with laughter and conversation.

Adrian guided Jessica inside and called out casually, "Mom."

Cheryl Buckley, Adrian's mother, had been mid-conversation with a relative. Hearing her son's voice, she turned with a smile and began, "Adrian, you're back-"

The smile faltered the instant her eyes landed on Jessica standing behind Adrian, her tone cooling as she said, "It's good that you've returned, but why bring a burden like her here?"

At Cheryl's sharp comment, the lively atmosphere in the room vanished, laughter dying as silence spread across the dining room.

Members of the Buckley family glanced between Cheryl and Jessica, their expressions shifting as they silently observed the unfolding scene.

Jessica was well aware that Cheryl harbored no fondness for her.

Even so, with so many eyes on her, an unavoidable wave of awkwardness and humiliation crept in.

Her complexion pale, she stepped forward, offering greetings to each family member in turn.

Cheryl let out a scoff and said, "Sit down. Don't act like I'm mistreating you."

The Buckley family noticed the tension in the air and quickly attempted to smooth things over, forcing cheer into their voices.

"Adrian, Jessica, you're finally back. It has been so long!"

"That's right. They've been married for three years already, haven't they? How come they still haven't had a child?"

"Adrian, when are you planning to have children? It would make your mother very happy if you did."

Before Adrian could answer, Cheryl set her coffee cup down on the table with a loud thud, her expression icy as she spoke. "Children? He already married a mute woman. Does he need to give me a mute grandchild as well? I would be utterly humiliated if that happened!"

At those words, Adrian turned his head to look at Jessica.

She stood beside him with her head lowered, loose strands of hair slipping down to hide her eyes, leaving only her pale chin visible as she appeared almost pitiful.

A sudden tightness filled Adrian's chest, and he loosened the tie at his collar.

One relative, emboldened by her closeness to Cheryl, said, "Cheryl, you're worrying too much. Adrian's wife was not born mute, so even if she had a child, the child wouldn't inherit that trait."

Cheryl showed no intention of backing down, her expression sharpening further as she replied, "Who knows what kind of genes run in the Howard family? Eleanor behaves without restraint; Jessica cannot even speak. I find them so irritating!"

She then turned her gaze toward Adrian and added pointedly, "Besides, Adrian has no interest in having children; isn't that right, Adrian?"

Adrian avoided responding to Cheryl's question and rose from his chair. "I need to handle something at the office. Jessica and I are leaving."

Cheryl's expression changed instantly as she rushed to stop him. "Why would you go now?" She gestured toward the kitchen, voice tightening. "The chef has already finished preparing the dishes, and all the family members are here. Can't you at least stay for lunch?"

Without hesitation, Adrian reached for Jessica and pulled her to her feet, his voice flat. "No. We are not staying."

After the couple left the Buckley Estate, Cheryl's anger erupted. Her chest rose sharply as she struck the arm of her chair with her fist.

Understanding her son was becoming more difficult by the day.

If he truly disliked Jessica, then why was every word and action of his instinctively protective of her?

Yet if he did care for Jessica, why did he remain tangled with Eleanor?

Even Eleanor's past marriage and child failed to deter him in the slightest.

Cheryl could not make sense of his thoughts at all.

Once seated inside his car, Adrian lit a cigarette, pale smoke curling around his knitted brows.

Jessica recognized the habit. Adrian only smoked when he was frustrated.

She remained still beside him, breathing lightly, afraid of disturbing him.

The cigarette shortened inch by inch until only the filter remained.

Adrian finally turned, his intense gaze settling on Jessica.

She looked exactly as she had been when they had first met-delicate features, a gentle face, calm to the point of detachment.

Even when mistreated, she never protested or made a scene, always compliant to an unsettling degree.

Time had not changed her in the slightest, yet his dislike for her submissive demeanor only deepened.

To him, she resembled a hollow doll, numb and unresponsive, while he, a man with ordinary desires, favored women who were vibrant when it came to intimacy.

The irritation boiling in Adrian's chest intensified. He pulled off his tie and flung it aside.

Jessica quietly picked it up, smoothing the fabric before placing it into a bag to keep it clean.

Adrian's eyes lingered on her movements before he spoke abruptly. "You heard what my mother said earlier, didn't you?"

A subtle tremor passed through Jessica's brows as she turned to look at him, her expression gentle.

Adrian studied her face and asked, "What do you think about it?"

For a brief second, the meaning behind his question failed to register with Jessica at all.

Seeing the confusion on her face, Adrian continued, his voice steady, "Do you want to have a child?"

Jessica instantly understood what he meant and gestured quickly. "I'll follow whatever your mother decides. You don't need to worry. I've never allowed myself to fantasize about that."

In truth, during the early days of their marriage, she had once imagined a child that belonged to the two of them.

But gradually, she realized the harsh reality.

She learned that all the good things were reserved for women who were cherished.

They were never meant for someone like her, a mute person, unwanted and always looked down upon.

Back at an important family gathering in their first year of marriage, she had eaten something bad and gagged a few times.

Every gaze in the room had swung toward her, whispers spreading as people wondered if she might be expecting.

At that time, Cheryl's face had hardened, and Adrian's expression had darkened alongside it.

Once the nausea finally passed, Jessica heard Cheryl tell her that the Buckley family had no intention of welcoming a child currently and that if she was pregnant, she should go to the hospital to end her pregnancy.

Panic seized Jessica, and she instinctively turned to Adrian for help.

But Adrian said nothing. He did not object to the idea at all.

That silence made everything painfully clear to Jessica. Adrian did not want a child, or rather, he didn't want a child with her.

So now, when Adrian brought the topic up again, Jessica understood it was never a question of her wishes; he just wanted to make sure that they were on the same page.

As if confirming her thoughts, Adrian's next words followed calmly. "You understand what I mean, don't you? I didn't take any precautions last time."

Jessica responded at once, lifting her hands again, "It's alright. I already took birth control pills."

Her gestures were careful and deliberate, as though she feared he might misunderstand her. She had an earnest expression, and a faint sheen of moisture shimmered in her clear eyes.

Adrian received the answer he wanted to hear, yet the sense of ease he had expected never arrived.

He watched her in silence for a long moment before letting out a breath and turning to look at the passing scenery beyond the window. "Good."

That single word drained the color from Jessica's face even further.

Worried he might notice, she lowered her head quickly, slender fingers knotting together in her lap.

Just as she had anticipated, his concern had never been about what she wanted, only about confirming whether there was any chance she might get pregnant.

Thankfully, she had not blurted out her true feelings just now.

Had she acted on that impulse, the humiliation would have been unbearable.

The thought alone made her chest tighten briefly before she steadied herself.

The luxury car soon slowed to a stop at the entrance of the Buckley Group.

Through the car window, Jessica immediately spotted Eleanor standing nearby.

Eleanor had been smiling, but the instant her gaze landed on Jessica getting out of the car behind Adrian, that smile collapsed, replaced by a sharp, hostile glare.

Her voice cut through the air. "Adrian, why did you bring her here?" The displeasure in her tone was obvious, making it seem as if she were actually Adrian's wife.

Adrian didn't mind that. Without hesitation, he turned to speak to Jessica. "I'll have the driver take you back."

Jessica inclined her head obediently and settled back into the seat.

Eleanor, however, was still not satisfied. She clung to Adrian's hand, her annoyance plain. "Adrian, can you stop bringing her to the company from now on?"

Her eyes flicked toward the car. "People might misunderstand and think you two are together."

Adrian did not pull away. His response was calm. "She is my wife. That's simply the truth."

Eleanor's dissatisfaction deepened. She pursed her lips into a pout. "I just don't like you being around her. Promise me you won't do it again."

A faint trace of a smile flickered across Adrian's otherwise impassive face.

He offered no verbal reply, his silence serving as quiet agreement.

From inside the car, Jessica watched the exchange, her vision slowly blurring as her eyes reddened.

She witnessed her husband favoring another woman, and that woman was her own half-sister.

No matter how unreasonable Eleanor acted or how openly she tried to take her place, Adrian always indulged her without restraint.

To him, the woman he loved could never be at fault.

Perhaps, in their eyes, she, the so-called Mrs. Buckley, was nothing more than a laughingstock.

Lowering her gaze, Jessica used sign language to quietly instruct the driver to pull away.