One Night Stand, Eight Surprises: Pampered by My CEO Husband --- - Chapter 55: Chapter 55
You are reading One Night Stand, Eight Surprises: Pampered by My CEO Husband ---, Chapter 55: Chapter 55. Read more chapters of One Night Stand, Eight Surprises: Pampered by My CEO Husband ---.
The school auditorium pulsed with artificial glamour. Crystal chandeliers. Velvet drapes. Soft string quartet murmuring from the corner. The Saint Lavinia Academy Annual Winter Gala had always been an ostentatious affair, but this year’s theme—"Legacy in Bloom"—reeked more of privilege than petals.
Arielle stood in a sea of curated elegance, wearing a deep plum gown and her mother’s vintage earrings. Her presence was noted, whispered about, and subtly scrutinized. It wasn’t the color of her dress that stirred attention—it was her refusal to be intimidated.
She was here to observe. To listen. But fate had sharper plans.
Midway through the gala, a commotion stirred near the silent auction tables.
A woman stood alone, trembling, her eyes glassy with humiliation. Her name was Nadine Grant—mother of Ezra, one of Liana’s quietest classmates. A scholarship mom. A brilliant kid. Arielle had seen Nadine volunteer more hours at the school than most parents combined.
Now she was surrounded.
Regina Holloway—still fuming from her bruised control over the PTA—spoke in measured venom. “It’s not appropriate for someone benefiting from school charity to place bids on luxury items.”
Nadine’s voice was small. “I was only looking. I thought it was open to all parents.”
Regina laughed, joined by two cronies. “Darling, you wouldn’t want to accidentally bid and not afford to pay. It’d be—embarrassing.”
Arielle moved before she realized she had.
She stepped between them.
“That’s enough.”
Regina blinked. “Excuse me?”
“She was invited like everyone else. She contributes like everyone else. And she is a parent—just like you and me.”
Regina scoffed. “This is a matter of maintaining standards.”
“No,” Arielle said sharply. “It’s a matter of masking elitism under the guise of tradition.”
The crowd hushed. People had turned.
Damien stepped beside his wife, silent but powerful. His presence brought weight. Authority.
And when Arielle took Nadine’s hand gently and guided her away, no one stopped them.
Later, in the hallway, Nadine wept quietly.
“You shouldn’t have done that. They’ll come after you.”
Arielle handed her a tissue. “They already have. I’m still standing.”
Nadine laughed through tears.
Arielle tilted her head. “Tell me something. Who invited you tonight?”
Nadine hesitated. “I... I got a letter. It said I’d been nominated as an ‘unsung hero’ and given a complimentary seat. No sender name.”
That was odd.
But Arielle filed it away.
The next morning, while sorting leftover auction paperwork at school, Arielle noticed discrepancies.
Two items—the highest-valued ones—were marked as ‘sold’ to companies that didn’t exist. And their payment addresses? Off-shore accounts.
She followed the trail. Dug deeper.
What she found was damning.
Regina and two board members had been funneling auction proceeds through shell companies—tax write-offs disguised as charity.
Arielle documented everything.
At the emergency PTA meeting she called a week later, she laid it out calmly. Printed spreadsheets. Signatures. Corporate filings. Transaction logs.
Faces paled.
Regina stood frozen.
“You think anyone will believe you?” she hissed.
Arielle looked up. “I don’t need belief. I have evidence. And legal counsel.”
Damien entered at that moment, carrying a manila folder. “Filed this morning with the education board’s ethics division.”
Gasps.
The room erupted.
Regina was suspended pending investigation.
Nadine was offered a formal apology. And two more scholarships were added to the academy’s next term budget.
That night, sitting by the bakery window, Arielle watched rain draw trails down the glass.
“Do you regret it?” Damien asked softly.
She shook her head. “No. You can’t grow anything beautiful if you keep planting in poisoned soil.”
He kissed her hand. “Then maybe you should be in charge of the garden.”
She smiled. “Not just yet. First, I want to bake cupcakes with my daughter. And show her what standing up looks like.”
Outside, the world moved on.
But inside, change had already taken root.
Arielle stood in a sea of curated elegance, wearing a deep plum gown and her mother’s vintage earrings. Her presence was noted, whispered about, and subtly scrutinized. It wasn’t the color of her dress that stirred attention—it was her refusal to be intimidated.
She was here to observe. To listen. But fate had sharper plans.
Midway through the gala, a commotion stirred near the silent auction tables.
A woman stood alone, trembling, her eyes glassy with humiliation. Her name was Nadine Grant—mother of Ezra, one of Liana’s quietest classmates. A scholarship mom. A brilliant kid. Arielle had seen Nadine volunteer more hours at the school than most parents combined.
Now she was surrounded.
Regina Holloway—still fuming from her bruised control over the PTA—spoke in measured venom. “It’s not appropriate for someone benefiting from school charity to place bids on luxury items.”
Nadine’s voice was small. “I was only looking. I thought it was open to all parents.”
Regina laughed, joined by two cronies. “Darling, you wouldn’t want to accidentally bid and not afford to pay. It’d be—embarrassing.”
Arielle moved before she realized she had.
She stepped between them.
“That’s enough.”
Regina blinked. “Excuse me?”
“She was invited like everyone else. She contributes like everyone else. And she is a parent—just like you and me.”
Regina scoffed. “This is a matter of maintaining standards.”
“No,” Arielle said sharply. “It’s a matter of masking elitism under the guise of tradition.”
The crowd hushed. People had turned.
Damien stepped beside his wife, silent but powerful. His presence brought weight. Authority.
And when Arielle took Nadine’s hand gently and guided her away, no one stopped them.
Later, in the hallway, Nadine wept quietly.
“You shouldn’t have done that. They’ll come after you.”
Arielle handed her a tissue. “They already have. I’m still standing.”
Nadine laughed through tears.
Arielle tilted her head. “Tell me something. Who invited you tonight?”
Nadine hesitated. “I... I got a letter. It said I’d been nominated as an ‘unsung hero’ and given a complimentary seat. No sender name.”
That was odd.
But Arielle filed it away.
The next morning, while sorting leftover auction paperwork at school, Arielle noticed discrepancies.
Two items—the highest-valued ones—were marked as ‘sold’ to companies that didn’t exist. And their payment addresses? Off-shore accounts.
She followed the trail. Dug deeper.
What she found was damning.
Regina and two board members had been funneling auction proceeds through shell companies—tax write-offs disguised as charity.
Arielle documented everything.
At the emergency PTA meeting she called a week later, she laid it out calmly. Printed spreadsheets. Signatures. Corporate filings. Transaction logs.
Faces paled.
Regina stood frozen.
“You think anyone will believe you?” she hissed.
Arielle looked up. “I don’t need belief. I have evidence. And legal counsel.”
Damien entered at that moment, carrying a manila folder. “Filed this morning with the education board’s ethics division.”
Gasps.
The room erupted.
Regina was suspended pending investigation.
Nadine was offered a formal apology. And two more scholarships were added to the academy’s next term budget.
That night, sitting by the bakery window, Arielle watched rain draw trails down the glass.
“Do you regret it?” Damien asked softly.
She shook her head. “No. You can’t grow anything beautiful if you keep planting in poisoned soil.”
He kissed her hand. “Then maybe you should be in charge of the garden.”
She smiled. “Not just yet. First, I want to bake cupcakes with my daughter. And show her what standing up looks like.”
Outside, the world moved on.
But inside, change had already taken root.
End of One Night Stand, Eight Surprises: Pampered by My CEO Husband --- Chapter 55. Continue reading Chapter 56 or return to One Night Stand, Eight Surprises: Pampered by My CEO Husband --- book page.