One Night Stand, Eight Surprises: Pampered by My CEO Husband --- - Chapter 117: Chapter 117
You are reading One Night Stand, Eight Surprises: Pampered by My CEO Husband ---, Chapter 117: Chapter 117. Read more chapters of One Night Stand, Eight Surprises: Pampered by My CEO Husband ---.
The sun spilled gold across the veranda that morning—soft, gentle, promising.
It was the kind of day meant for memories.
Arielle stood in front of the mirror, adjusting the folds of her flowing dress. It was pale rose, matching the ribbon Lily wore in her curls. Her bump was beautifully pronounced, rounding her silhouette in a way that made Damien’s eyes go soft every time he glanced her way.
Today was the family portrait session.
She had arranged it herself, secretly.
One final image before the baby came.
The photographer—a gentle woman with kind eyes—arrived just as the last light softened the edges of the sky. She positioned the family in front of the villa, under the flowering tree where the kids had once strung wind chimes.
Iris held Lily in her lap.
Jonah knelt with his arms around their legs, laughing as Lily kept tugging at his collar.
Elijah stood behind Damien, his hand resting firmly on his shoulder, grounding them both.
Damien stood beside Arielle, his arm around her waist, the other hand gently cradling her belly. He kissed her temple just as the shutter clicked.
Flash.
Another click.
Laughter.
Shifting light.
But through it all, Damien couldn’t stop watching Arielle.
There was something distant in her eyes—like her smile hadn’t quite reached her.
“Just one more,” the photographer said. “Look at each other, not the camera.”
Damien leaned in.
“We’ve made it,” he whispered.
Arielle turned toward him. Her hand found his.
And then—
Her knees buckled.
Everything happened at once.
The camera fell.
Jonah shouted.
Elijah caught her halfway to the ground, his arms cradling her just like he had Lily the day she scraped her knee.
“Arielle!” Damien dropped beside her, hands fumbling across her face. “Hey—hey, baby, open your eyes. Arielle—!”
She didn’t respond.
Her lashes fluttered.
Her lips moved without sound.
Blood drained from her face like watercolor in rain.
“Call someone!” Iris screamed.
The photographer had already dialed.
Damien held Arielle’s head in his lap, whispering frantically.
“It’s okay... it’s okay, just breathe... Stay with me, stay with me...”
Arielle’s eyes opened briefly. “The baby...” she gasped.
“Shhh, I know,” Damien whispered, his voice breaking. “Help’s coming. You’re okay. We’re okay.”
The sound of sirens fractured the stillness.
Elijah carried Lily inside.
Jonah clutched Iris’s hand, both of them frozen, staring at the frame of their unfinished photo—one that had captured more than just a family.
It had captured a moment between joy and fear.
A moment before everything changed.
The camera sat abandoned in the grass.
Inside it, the image remained:
A family frozen in time, smiling, glowing...
...and seconds from collapse.
It was the kind of day meant for memories.
Arielle stood in front of the mirror, adjusting the folds of her flowing dress. It was pale rose, matching the ribbon Lily wore in her curls. Her bump was beautifully pronounced, rounding her silhouette in a way that made Damien’s eyes go soft every time he glanced her way.
Today was the family portrait session.
She had arranged it herself, secretly.
One final image before the baby came.
The photographer—a gentle woman with kind eyes—arrived just as the last light softened the edges of the sky. She positioned the family in front of the villa, under the flowering tree where the kids had once strung wind chimes.
Iris held Lily in her lap.
Jonah knelt with his arms around their legs, laughing as Lily kept tugging at his collar.
Elijah stood behind Damien, his hand resting firmly on his shoulder, grounding them both.
Damien stood beside Arielle, his arm around her waist, the other hand gently cradling her belly. He kissed her temple just as the shutter clicked.
Flash.
Another click.
Laughter.
Shifting light.
But through it all, Damien couldn’t stop watching Arielle.
There was something distant in her eyes—like her smile hadn’t quite reached her.
“Just one more,” the photographer said. “Look at each other, not the camera.”
Damien leaned in.
“We’ve made it,” he whispered.
Arielle turned toward him. Her hand found his.
And then—
Her knees buckled.
Everything happened at once.
The camera fell.
Jonah shouted.
Elijah caught her halfway to the ground, his arms cradling her just like he had Lily the day she scraped her knee.
“Arielle!” Damien dropped beside her, hands fumbling across her face. “Hey—hey, baby, open your eyes. Arielle—!”
She didn’t respond.
Her lashes fluttered.
Her lips moved without sound.
Blood drained from her face like watercolor in rain.
“Call someone!” Iris screamed.
The photographer had already dialed.
Damien held Arielle’s head in his lap, whispering frantically.
“It’s okay... it’s okay, just breathe... Stay with me, stay with me...”
Arielle’s eyes opened briefly. “The baby...” she gasped.
“Shhh, I know,” Damien whispered, his voice breaking. “Help’s coming. You’re okay. We’re okay.”
The sound of sirens fractured the stillness.
Elijah carried Lily inside.
Jonah clutched Iris’s hand, both of them frozen, staring at the frame of their unfinished photo—one that had captured more than just a family.
It had captured a moment between joy and fear.
A moment before everything changed.
The camera sat abandoned in the grass.
Inside it, the image remained:
A family frozen in time, smiling, glowing...
...and seconds from collapse.
End of One Night Stand, Eight Surprises: Pampered by My CEO Husband --- Chapter 117. Continue reading Chapter 118 or return to One Night Stand, Eight Surprises: Pampered by My CEO Husband --- book page.