One Night Stand, Eight Surprises: Pampered by My CEO Husband --- - Chapter 106: Chapter 106
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The mansion no longer echoed with laughter.
Instead, Arielle heard the slammed doors, muffled sobs, and the sound of a violin bow snapping under pressure.
Jonah hadn’t come home the night before.
Iris hadn’t spoken a word all morning.
And Lily? She just clung to Arielle’s leg, silently watching.
“Where were you?” Arielle asked as Jonah stormed into the foyer, backpack slung low.
“Out,” he muttered.
“It’s a school night.”
He didn’t look up. “So? I’m not a baby.”
“You’re fifteen, Jonah.”
“I’m the kid whose dad disappeared and whose brother ran off to die too. Age doesn’t matter now, does it?”
His voice cracked at the end, and Arielle’s heart broke again.
She opened her arms, but he walked past her.
Upstairs, Iris painted like she was possessed—colors smeared across canvas, skin, the wall.
“Iris, honey—”
“You should’ve stopped him,” she said without looking.
“I couldn’t.”
“I wish it was me,” she whispered. “Not Elijah.”
Arielle knelt beside her. “Don’t say that.”
“You don’t know what it’s like, Mom.”
“I know grief. I know guilt. I know waking up in the middle of the night, reaching for someone who isn’t there.”
“I just want Daddy,” Iris sobbed.
Arielle pulled her daughter into her arms.
“I do too.”
The next morning, Arielle met with the children’s therapist.
“They’re spiraling,” the woman said gently. “They need you—not as the CEO. As Mom.”
“I’m trying,” Arielle whispered.
“Then let the empire burn for a few days. Take them away. Make memories. Mourn together. Or you’ll lose more than just Damien.”
That evening, Arielle stood at the base of the grand staircase.
“I need you all downstairs,” she called.
Jonah shuffled in, headphones around his neck.
Iris appeared behind him, eyes puffy.
And Lily toddled over with a blanket in her hands.
“We’re leaving tomorrow,” Arielle said.
“What?”
“A week. No business. No security details. Just us. Family.”
“Where?” Jonah asked flatly.
“Somewhere we can remember who we are.”
Late that night, Jonah knocked softly on her door.
“I miss him too, Mom,” he said.
“I know, sweetheart.”
He stepped into her arms for the first time in weeks.
Arielle held him like he was still a toddler.
Iris watched from the hallway.
And in the nursery, Lily whispered “Mama sad” before falling asleep clutching a toy Elijah gave her.
The family was fractured.
But it hadn’t shattered.
Not yet.
And Arielle would not let it.
Instead, Arielle heard the slammed doors, muffled sobs, and the sound of a violin bow snapping under pressure.
Jonah hadn’t come home the night before.
Iris hadn’t spoken a word all morning.
And Lily? She just clung to Arielle’s leg, silently watching.
“Where were you?” Arielle asked as Jonah stormed into the foyer, backpack slung low.
“Out,” he muttered.
“It’s a school night.”
He didn’t look up. “So? I’m not a baby.”
“You’re fifteen, Jonah.”
“I’m the kid whose dad disappeared and whose brother ran off to die too. Age doesn’t matter now, does it?”
His voice cracked at the end, and Arielle’s heart broke again.
She opened her arms, but he walked past her.
Upstairs, Iris painted like she was possessed—colors smeared across canvas, skin, the wall.
“Iris, honey—”
“You should’ve stopped him,” she said without looking.
“I couldn’t.”
“I wish it was me,” she whispered. “Not Elijah.”
Arielle knelt beside her. “Don’t say that.”
“You don’t know what it’s like, Mom.”
“I know grief. I know guilt. I know waking up in the middle of the night, reaching for someone who isn’t there.”
“I just want Daddy,” Iris sobbed.
Arielle pulled her daughter into her arms.
“I do too.”
The next morning, Arielle met with the children’s therapist.
“They’re spiraling,” the woman said gently. “They need you—not as the CEO. As Mom.”
“I’m trying,” Arielle whispered.
“Then let the empire burn for a few days. Take them away. Make memories. Mourn together. Or you’ll lose more than just Damien.”
That evening, Arielle stood at the base of the grand staircase.
“I need you all downstairs,” she called.
Jonah shuffled in, headphones around his neck.
Iris appeared behind him, eyes puffy.
And Lily toddled over with a blanket in her hands.
“We’re leaving tomorrow,” Arielle said.
“What?”
“A week. No business. No security details. Just us. Family.”
“Where?” Jonah asked flatly.
“Somewhere we can remember who we are.”
Late that night, Jonah knocked softly on her door.
“I miss him too, Mom,” he said.
“I know, sweetheart.”
He stepped into her arms for the first time in weeks.
Arielle held him like he was still a toddler.
Iris watched from the hallway.
And in the nursery, Lily whispered “Mama sad” before falling asleep clutching a toy Elijah gave her.
The family was fractured.
But it hadn’t shattered.
Not yet.
And Arielle would not let it.
End of One Night Stand, Eight Surprises: Pampered by My CEO Husband --- Chapter 106. Continue reading Chapter 107 or return to One Night Stand, Eight Surprises: Pampered by My CEO Husband --- book page.