I think that your wife is on the right track. Being right would be a poor reward for worsening your relationship with your superiors. You surely won't get fired over this, but there may be other repercussions - some subtle, some not. You have an opportunity to show yourself to be a team player, but the opportunity won't last long.

Too much, too soon. I recommend backing off. Letting the situation cool for a while (like maybe a year or until the boss who originally said "no" is no longer your boss) then try again.

That's my advice. You can assess its worth for yourself.