One Night Stand, Eight Surprises: Pampered by My CEO Husband --- - Chapter 194: Chapter 194
You are reading One Night Stand, Eight Surprises: Pampered by My CEO Husband ---, Chapter 194: Chapter 194. Read more chapters of One Night Stand, Eight Surprises: Pampered by My CEO Husband ---.
The applause from the gala had faded, but the glow lingered like a balm.
Arielle stood in the garden the next morning, barefoot in the dew-kissed grass, watching the wind toy with the branches of their family tree. The ashes of the DNA results—burned days before—had settled in the roots.
But one envelope had been delayed.
The one for Zane.
The results came wrapped in beige.
Damien opened it, standing beside Arielle.
Silence.
Then the breath left him.
Arielle’s hands trembled.
Zane was not biologically his.
They sat on the edge of their bed, the letter on Damien’s lap. His thumb stroked it like he could smooth the truth away.
“He’s mine,” Damien said quietly.
Arielle turned to him. “I didn’t know. I swear to you, I—”
He placed a finger to her lips. “He is mine. That’s the only truth that matters now.”
Later that evening, Damien asked Zane to meet him by the firepit.
The stars were out. The flames danced in rhythm.
Zane arrived, cautious. He’d known something was coming.
Damien handed him the letter.
Zane didn’t read it.
He looked into Damien’s eyes instead.
“You don’t need to say anything,” Damien began. “But I will. You are my son. Not by blood. Not by test. But by every scraped knee I bandaged. Every night I stood in the doorway to watch you sleep. Every time I said I was proud of you—and meant it.”
Zane blinked fast.
“I am proud of you,” Damien said. “Nothing changes that.”
And he pulled him into a hug.
Zane’s chest cracked open in a sob. “I don’t care what the paper says. You’re my dad. The only one I’ve ever had.”
Arielle watched from the kitchen window, hand over her heart.
Julian came beside her. “You okay?”
She nodded. “It hurts… but it also heals. Because love can hold more than truth. It can hold the broken pieces too.”
That weekend, Damien stood before all eight children.
He looked at Zane.
“He is not my blood.”
Everyone stiffened.
“He’s my legacy.”
Tears flowed.
“And I will spend every day reminding him—and all of you—that love isn’t limited by science. It’s limitless by choice.”
Zane placed the envelope in the fire.
Watched it burn.
Watched it become weightless.
And for the first time in weeks… he smiled again.
Arielle stood in the garden the next morning, barefoot in the dew-kissed grass, watching the wind toy with the branches of their family tree. The ashes of the DNA results—burned days before—had settled in the roots.
But one envelope had been delayed.
The one for Zane.
The results came wrapped in beige.
Damien opened it, standing beside Arielle.
Silence.
Then the breath left him.
Arielle’s hands trembled.
Zane was not biologically his.
They sat on the edge of their bed, the letter on Damien’s lap. His thumb stroked it like he could smooth the truth away.
“He’s mine,” Damien said quietly.
Arielle turned to him. “I didn’t know. I swear to you, I—”
He placed a finger to her lips. “He is mine. That’s the only truth that matters now.”
Later that evening, Damien asked Zane to meet him by the firepit.
The stars were out. The flames danced in rhythm.
Zane arrived, cautious. He’d known something was coming.
Damien handed him the letter.
Zane didn’t read it.
He looked into Damien’s eyes instead.
“You don’t need to say anything,” Damien began. “But I will. You are my son. Not by blood. Not by test. But by every scraped knee I bandaged. Every night I stood in the doorway to watch you sleep. Every time I said I was proud of you—and meant it.”
Zane blinked fast.
“I am proud of you,” Damien said. “Nothing changes that.”
And he pulled him into a hug.
Zane’s chest cracked open in a sob. “I don’t care what the paper says. You’re my dad. The only one I’ve ever had.”
Arielle watched from the kitchen window, hand over her heart.
Julian came beside her. “You okay?”
She nodded. “It hurts… but it also heals. Because love can hold more than truth. It can hold the broken pieces too.”
That weekend, Damien stood before all eight children.
He looked at Zane.
“He is not my blood.”
Everyone stiffened.
“He’s my legacy.”
Tears flowed.
“And I will spend every day reminding him—and all of you—that love isn’t limited by science. It’s limitless by choice.”
Zane placed the envelope in the fire.
Watched it burn.
Watched it become weightless.
And for the first time in weeks… he smiled again.
End of One Night Stand, Eight Surprises: Pampered by My CEO Husband --- Chapter 194. Continue reading Chapter 195 or return to One Night Stand, Eight Surprises: Pampered by My CEO Husband --- book page.