Since you feel like you were only voicing your opinion, maybe indeed you just were, and the payroll person overreacted and described you as confrontational and combative. It's not you, it's them.

Furthermore, the CEO knows they have a damn good writer on staff and will probably just drop it.

What did you do wrong and why should you get in trouble for it?

Yes, I have had people react weirdly to me and say things to me that shows me they had totally misread me. I believe it's their problem! I don't get that all the time, mostly people are not put off by me and I am very polite, but assertive. But sometimes, yes, people react weirdly, misunderstanding.