Chapter 47
Allen's POV
London air was different. Colder, sharper, a little like Corinne. It nipped at your skin and left you breathless, but still pulled you in with its quiet charm. I adjusted Astrid's coat collar as she waddled beside me, her tiny fingers gripping her stuffed bunny like it was her lifeline.
"Da-da, look! Red bus!" she squealed, pointing excitedly.
I chuckled. "I see it, baby. You want to ride one later?"
She nodded furiously, her curls bouncing under her wool hat.
Beside us, Kyle tugged at my coat. "Are we really seeing Mommy today? You said she's on TV now. Will she be mad if I'm not in school?"
I ruffled his hair. "She's gonna be surprised, not mad. And I already told Ms. Helen you're with me. One day off won't ruin anything."
But as I said it, doubt crawled in the back of my mind.
Corinne always had a plan. A schedule. A structure.
And I was walking into her world like a wrecking ball.
But I wanted-no, needed-to see her. To let the kids see her. Astrid had been crying for her at night. Kyle had drawn her face in crayon so many times, it was starting to worry me. And I-I missed her. More than I could admit out loud.
---
The Luxe Beauty launch was chaos in perfection. Flashbulbs. Velvet ropes. Security guards in black earpieces and stylists swarming models. I walked in with Astrid on my hip and Kyle's hand in mine, and the buzz dimmed around us.
People stared.
I didn't care.
I spotted Brittany first, mouth falling open when she caught sight of us.
"What the hell," she muttered, then snapped into action. "Allen? What are you doing here-with the kids?!"
"Surprising their mom," I said simply.
She didn't even have time to argue before someone whispered in her ear, and she turned pale.
"She's on the runway. This is going to blow everything up. Do you even think-"
"Where's her office?"
"Upstairs. But Allen-"
"Thanks."
---
I waited until the show ended. I heard the applause. The music. The signature "Thank you for believing in Luxe Beauty" she always ended her speeches with.
Then I opened her office door.
She was laughing with Jasper and a few team members, champagne in hand. That glow on her face-the one that used to be just for me-dimmed the second she saw me.
"Allen?" she said slowly, her eyes falling to the two small bodies beside me. For a second, her expression broke. Her hand covered her mouth, and tears sprung into her eyes. "Kyle? Astrid?"
"Mommy!" Astrid squealed, wriggling free and running into her mother's arms.
Corinne knelt down quickly, wrapping them both into her embrace. Her laugh came out wet with emotion. "What are you two doing here?"
Kyle beamed. "Daddy said we're surprising you. He said you miss us."
She looked up, eyes meeting mine, and for a split second, everything softened. "Of course I missed you," she whispered, clutching them close.
But then the realization hit. Her gaze sharpened.
"Brittany," she said flatly. "Please take the kids out. Let them grab cupcakes from the lounge."
"Cori-"
"Please, Brit."
Brittany hesitated, glancing at me, then at Jasper, then gently led Kyle and Astrid away. Kyle looked back, confused.
"Mommy?"
She smiled faintly. "Go on, sweetheart. I'll be right out."
Once the door clicked shut, the storm broke.
"Are you out of your goddamn mind?!"
I flinched. Jasper shifted uncomfortably but didn't leave.
"You brought our kids to London? Without telling me? You took Kyle out of school without informing me? Astrid was finally sleeping through the night again! I had just gotten their schedule to stabilize!"
"I just wanted-"
"To what? Score points? Make me look like the absent mom in front of my staff? I've been working day and night to balance this launch and motherhood-and you think dragging them across the Atlantic is helping?!"
"Corinne, that's not fair. I'm their father. They miss you. I thought-"
"No, you didn't think. That's the problem. You just acted. As usual. Kyle is four, Allen. He has a routine, a structure! You can't just yank him out of school for an impulsive trip because you miss me or you feel guilty."
The guilt hit harder than I expected.
I reached out toward her, but she stepped back.
"I didn't come here to fight. I came because they've been asking for you every night. Astrid wakes up screaming sometimes, and nothing I do helps. I thought-maybe seeing you would-"
She looked like she was about to break.
Then I ruined it.
"I'm still a stakeholder in Luxe, Corinne. Don't forget that. You built this with my investment. My money. My name. If I want to be here-"
Her face collapsed. Not with tears. With disgust.
Even Jasper looked stunned.
"Wow," she whispered. "So that's what I am to you? An investment? A project? You think your money gives you the right to barge into my launch and disrupt everything I've built?"
"No, I didn't mean it like-"
"Don't. Just stop. Get out. I don't care if you miss me. I don't care if you think this was a grand gesture. You destroyed tonight."
"Corinne-"
"If you ever pull something like this again, I will call my lawyers. And I will pursue full custody. You can't keep doing this. You can't keep making reckless decisions and expect forgiveness."
"Whoa, okay," Jasper said, stepping between us. "Allen, you crossed a line. You want to play CEO with your shares? Fine. Name your price. I'll buy them. Luxe deserves better. Corinne deserves better."
"You don't get to decide that."
"He's my brother," Brittany said, quietly stepping back in to lead the kids to another floor. "But he's right. Corinne built this. You were just the check."
I turned to Corinne again. She wasn't crying. She wasn't even angry now. She looked tired.
"I didn't mean what I said. I was just... jealous. I see you glowing, doing better, and I miss being part of that."
"You miss control," she corrected. "You miss the version of me who needed your approval. This version? She doesn't."
She moved to the door. Opened it.
"Go back to your hotel, Allen. The kids will stay with Brittany. We'll talk about custody-with lawyers."
Jasper stood behind her, arms folded, silent but unyielding.
And I walked out. The door shut behind me.
And I knew-I'd really lost her this time.