One Night Stand, Eight Surprises: Pampered by My CEO Husband --- - Chapter 68: Chapter 68
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Arielle stared at the handwritten invitations on the kitchen counter. One envelope addressed to Lena. The other to Josephine.
A dinner. One night. One table.
Two mothers.
Damien entered, loosened his tie, and took in the scene. “You’re sure about this?”
“No,” she answered honestly. “But I think I need to do it. For them. For me.”
He kissed her temple. “Then I’ll set extra plates—and maybe brace for fireworks.”
The night arrived.
The table was perfectly set. Fresh flowers from Lily’s garden, Noah’s favorite playlist on low. Candles flickered. Dishes of warmth filled the room—rosemary chicken, garlic mashed potatoes, peach tart. Home.
At precisely 7:00, the doorbell rang. Josephine arrived first, in pearls and grace. Her smile reserved, her eyes searching.
At 7:07, Lena followed. Cardigan and flats. Hands fidgeting, breath tight.
Arielle greeted both with a hug—awkward, heartfelt.
At first, it was polite.
Weather. The kids. Arielle’s bakery.
But as wine loosened nerves, so did emotions.
“I remember the first time I held her,” Lena said, eyes misting. “She wouldn’t stop crying. And neither would I.”
“You raised her beautifully,” Josephine said softly. “I never had the chance.”
“You gave her life. I gave her a home.”
Silence. Thick.
“I wanted both,” Arielle whispered. “But I had neither. Not really. Until now.”
Tension bloomed when Josephine asked about Arielle’s birth.
“You weren’t there,” Lena snapped. “You don’t get to ask.”
Josephine’s spine stiffened. “She’s my daughter too.”
“She’s my daughter still.”
Arielle stood.
“No more tug-of-war,” she said quietly. “I’m not a prize. I’m a person. And I love you both. For different reasons. In different ways. But I won’t choose.”
The women looked at her—one with pain, the other with guilt.
Then Lena reached across the table. “Then we don’t make you.”
Josephine, after a beat, nodded. “Agreed.”
They talked late into the night. Not always easy. Not always kind. But honest.
Josephine shared stories of Arielle’s birth family—photos, heirlooms, little things that held big meanings.
Lena showed a video of Arielle’s fifth birthday—cake all over her face, laughter bubbling.
At the end, Arielle walked them both to the door.
“Thank you,” she said.
Josephine kissed her cheek. “We’ll find our rhythm.”
Lena squeezed her hand. “We already have.”
As the door closed, Arielle leaned against it, overwhelmed.
Damien came beside her.
“Well?”
“Emotional chaos,” she breathed. “But... necessary.”
He handed her a cup of tea.
“One heart,” he said. “Two mothers. And still, you’re whole.”
She smiled.
Maybe for the first time, she believed it.
A dinner. One night. One table.
Two mothers.
Damien entered, loosened his tie, and took in the scene. “You’re sure about this?”
“No,” she answered honestly. “But I think I need to do it. For them. For me.”
He kissed her temple. “Then I’ll set extra plates—and maybe brace for fireworks.”
The night arrived.
The table was perfectly set. Fresh flowers from Lily’s garden, Noah’s favorite playlist on low. Candles flickered. Dishes of warmth filled the room—rosemary chicken, garlic mashed potatoes, peach tart. Home.
At precisely 7:00, the doorbell rang. Josephine arrived first, in pearls and grace. Her smile reserved, her eyes searching.
At 7:07, Lena followed. Cardigan and flats. Hands fidgeting, breath tight.
Arielle greeted both with a hug—awkward, heartfelt.
At first, it was polite.
Weather. The kids. Arielle’s bakery.
But as wine loosened nerves, so did emotions.
“I remember the first time I held her,” Lena said, eyes misting. “She wouldn’t stop crying. And neither would I.”
“You raised her beautifully,” Josephine said softly. “I never had the chance.”
“You gave her life. I gave her a home.”
Silence. Thick.
“I wanted both,” Arielle whispered. “But I had neither. Not really. Until now.”
Tension bloomed when Josephine asked about Arielle’s birth.
“You weren’t there,” Lena snapped. “You don’t get to ask.”
Josephine’s spine stiffened. “She’s my daughter too.”
“She’s my daughter still.”
Arielle stood.
“No more tug-of-war,” she said quietly. “I’m not a prize. I’m a person. And I love you both. For different reasons. In different ways. But I won’t choose.”
The women looked at her—one with pain, the other with guilt.
Then Lena reached across the table. “Then we don’t make you.”
Josephine, after a beat, nodded. “Agreed.”
They talked late into the night. Not always easy. Not always kind. But honest.
Josephine shared stories of Arielle’s birth family—photos, heirlooms, little things that held big meanings.
Lena showed a video of Arielle’s fifth birthday—cake all over her face, laughter bubbling.
At the end, Arielle walked them both to the door.
“Thank you,” she said.
Josephine kissed her cheek. “We’ll find our rhythm.”
Lena squeezed her hand. “We already have.”
As the door closed, Arielle leaned against it, overwhelmed.
Damien came beside her.
“Well?”
“Emotional chaos,” she breathed. “But... necessary.”
He handed her a cup of tea.
“One heart,” he said. “Two mothers. And still, you’re whole.”
She smiled.
Maybe for the first time, she believed it.
End of One Night Stand, Eight Surprises: Pampered by My CEO Husband --- Chapter 68. Continue reading Chapter 69 or return to One Night Stand, Eight Surprises: Pampered by My CEO Husband --- book page.