Chapter 3 Busy

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."