One Night Stand, Eight Surprises: Pampered by My CEO Husband --- - Chapter 22: Chapter 22

It began with a bruise.
A small, purplish shadow blooming on Hazel’s upper arm—barely visible under the sleeve of her favorite unicorn shirt.
Arielle had noticed it while brushing her daughter’s hair that morning. At first, she said nothing, telling herself kids bruised easily. Falls, tumbles, roughhousing with her brothers...
But something didn’t sit right.
Hazel had flinched when Arielle touched her.
Not dramatically.
But enough.
And that was enough.
Arielle started watching more closely.
She noticed how Hazel’s eyes darted whenever Nanny Cassandra entered the room. How her laughter dimmed, her voice grew quiet, her body stilled.
She noticed how the other kids gave Cassandra a wide berth. Not out of dislike.
Out of fear.
It wasn’t until that afternoon that everything unraveled.
Arielle had come upstairs earlier than usual, hoping to surprise the children with homemade cookies she’d made with the chef.
What she heard stopped her cold just outside the nursery.
“You little brat,” Cassandra snapped. “If you don’t sit still, I swear—”
The sound of something smacking the wall.
A whimper.
Arielle’s heart stopped.
She didn’t knock. She didn’t hesitate.
She stormed in.
Cassandra stood frozen, one hand still in the air. Hazel sat on the floor, shoulders trembling, tears clinging to her lashes.
And a broken wooden toy lay shattered nearby.
Arielle didn’t scream.
Her voice was ice.
“Get. Out.”
Cassandra’s face twisted. “It’s not what it looks like—”
“Don’t lie to me. I heard everything.”
She crossed the room and knelt by Hazel, scooping her daughter into her arms.
The girl clung to her like she was the last safe place on earth.
“I said get out,” Arielle repeated, standing. “You’re done here.”
“You can’t fire me. Damien—”
“I don’t care if Damien hired you himself. You're gone.”
The door opened.
Damien stood in the doorway.
He took in the scene—the red face of the nanny, the broken toy, the way Hazel buried her face in her mother’s neck.
He didn’t speak.
Didn’t question.
He turned to Cassandra.
“You have thirty minutes to collect your things. Leave your badge and keys with security. If you ever come near my children again, I’ll ruin you.”
The nanny paled.
She left.
That night, Damien sat beside Arielle in the children’s lounge.
Hazel had fallen asleep on her lap.
He watched her quietly for a long time.
Then said, “Thank you.”
“You don’t have to thank me for protecting our kids.”
He shook his head. “Not just for that. For trusting your instincts. For not waiting for proof.”
Arielle looked down at Hazel’s peaceful face.
“I’ve been alone too long to wait for permission.”
He reached for her hand.
“You’re not alone anymore.”
For the first time since entering the estate, Arielle believed him.
And in the silence that followed, she knew the war wasn’t over.
But at least now, she wasn’t fighting alone.