Our Little Cupid: The Tycoon's Child In My Arms

Rain threatened to fall as Allison Wade lingered just outside the courthouse doors, forcing herself not to cry though every blink stung. Her carefully applied makeup did little to cover up the exhaustion etched across her face.

She turned to the man facing her and begged once more, her words weighed down by heartbreak, "Kyle, isn't there any way for us to fix this? I don't care how hard it gets. I'm willing to try again. Please, can't we just try?"

Kyle Clark drew her into a tight embrace, his shoulders heavy with regret. He struggled to speak, his tone rough with emotion. "Allie, we both agreed. This isn't something I wanted either. Please, don't put all the blame on me. My hands are tied."

Resting her cheek against his chest, she finally let herself cry, her tears soaking into his shirt as she clung to him. Over and over, her voice broke through her sobs. "Just give us one more chance. Please, Kyle..."

He gently rubbed her back, trying to comfort her, though his words offered little hope. "I know you've suffered so much. But it's my mom. You have to understand, Allie. I love you, I do. Please, don't make this any harder than it already is."

Allison realized there was nothing left to say that could change anything. Her composure shattered, she sobbed openly, no longer the woman who fussed over every detail of her appearance before stepping outside.

Ever since their wedding, Kyle's parents had hoped for a grandchild. Two years went by without a baby, and his mother's patience was running out fast.

The day she got the doctor's report, Allison stared at the words in disbelief. That paper ended her marriage. She was diagnosed with permanent infertility.

Now, after the final paperwork was done, Kyle looked at her, his face etched with concern. "Let me take you home, okay?"

Allison shook her head and drew in a shaky breath. Although she had managed to stop crying during the wait, her words were thick and raw. "No, you don't need to."

Everything between them had ended.

Kyle placed a steadying hand on her shoulder, fearing she might fall apart right in front of him. "Are you sure you're alright?"

Allison met his gaze, forcing a smile that held more pain than comfort. "I just signed away the last four years of my life. How could I be alright?"

He looked away, shame flickering across his expression. "I'm sorry, Allie..."

She brushed his hand away and walked off, not looking back.

Enough with the apologies. She'd heard enough of those.

Lately, it seemed like every word out of his mouth was either "I'm sorry" or something about his mother's latest orders.

Four years of loving a man tied to his mother's apron strings, never truly free to be her husband, and here she was, clutching divorce papers but struggling to release him from her heart.

Kyle watched from the curb as she flagged down a taxi, her departure punctuated by the slam of the door. When the car sped off, he finally looked at his phone-seven calls from his mother blinking on the screen.

It vibrated in his hand before he could call back.

With a weary sigh, he picked up, the official decree still clutched in his other hand. "It's over."

Joan Clark, his mother, wasted no time getting to the point. Her voice rang with undisguised glee. "Well, about time! That woman was impossible. I can't believe it took you so long!"

Kyle pinched the bridge of his nose. "Mom, do you need something, or can I go?"

He was already thinking about pouring himself a drink, or maybe two.

"Haylee is flying in today. Didn't you hear? Her flight lands at two. Make sure you bring her here. The housekeeper will make her favorite treats."

Joan sounded positively jubilant-her son free at last, and the woman she had handpicked on her way home.

"Yeah, I heard you," Kyle replied, tossing the divorce decree into the glove compartment and ending the call before she could say anything else.

Allison made her way back to what used to be home.

But the place felt hollow now. The man who once filled it with laughter and love was gone, but echoes of him haunted every corner.

Back in college, they had been just a pair of regular students, head over heels in love. His family, all businesspeople, had been unimpressed by her modest background at the start. But it never scared her off. She was top of her class at a renowned university-driven, smart, and beautiful in a way that drew admiration. Even after graduation, she built a stellar reputation at a respected firm, impressing everyone around her with her work and confidence.

From the very beginning, Kyle refused to back down when it came to her. He argued until his family caved, finally convincing themselves that Allison would suit him well and maybe even open new doors for his career. Only then did they give their blessing for the marriage.

Allison never imagined that something as old-fashioned as not having children would be the reason she was pushed aside. The bitterness toward the Clark family grew every day, fueled by their outmoded beliefs, and disappointment in Kyle cut even deeper. Still, her heart stubbornly clung to the love she'd built over four years.

After all, every part of herself had been given to him for those years.

In her bedroom, Allison pulled the covers over her head, praying sleep would drown out the pain.

Nowhere in the apartment could she escape reminders of him. His scent still lingered on every surface, especially on his pillow, and sleep felt impossible.

After tossing and turning, she wandered out onto the balcony in search of relief. There, she found his cigarettes and an ashtray still sitting on the small table.

With unsteady hands, she lit a cigarette, letting the smoke fill her lungs. She realized, then, that she wasn't nearly as tough as she tried to appear.

Everywhere she turned, memories overwhelmed her-the couch where they'd cuddled, the kitchen that echoed with laughter, the balcony where they'd gazed at city lights together. That winter trip to her seaside hometown, filled with promises of fireworks and new memories, had faded into nothing.

Ash and tears fell together as she finished the last drag.

Before morning, she had packed her bags and walked out of the apartment.

No plan formed in her mind.

She only knew she needed distance from anything that reminded her of Kyle.

Arriving at the train station, Allison stood before the departure board, scanning unfamiliar names until Blirson stood out, a small town she couldn't recall ever hearing.

She bought a ticket, settled into her seat, and typed her resignation on her phone. A quick message to her best friend, Tricia Saunders, followed-nothing more than the facts about her divorce. Then, she shut the phone off and closed her eyes.

After a cramped, ten-hour trip, Allison stretched her stiff limbs and joined the crowd flowing into the unknown town, ready for whatever came next.

Vivid colors and noise collided just beyond the train station, with vendors hawking their wares and taxi drivers calling out for fares. Energy thrummed through the busy scene, wild and untamed.

Allison's suitcase bumped over uneven pavement as she wandered the streets, eventually discovering an unremarkable two-bedroom flat. She nearly doubted her ears when the landlord told her the rent-just nine hundred a month.

Residents in Blirson seemed to greet one another by name, the town's pace slow and close-knit. Curious about her surroundings, she decided to explore the nearby blocks, letting her feet guide her past shop windows and old brick storefronts.

After stocking up on basics and lugging her new purchases back, she realized dusk had already turned the sky a deep blue. Weariness tugged at her, but she couldn't rest until the apartment was clean, and she worked methodically to make the space her own.

Long after nightfall, she tied up two full bags of trash and carried them outside.

With a small grunt, she tossed the bags into the dumpster, ready to call it a night. A soft, trembling wail cut through the quiet, halting her in her tracks.

Unease prickled at her skin. What could possibly explain a child's cry at this hour? She hurried toward the building, the eerie sound echoing in her mind.

Only a few steps later, she froze. That wasn't her imagination-a baby was truly crying, and the sound came from behind the trash bins.

Refusing to let fear get the better of her, she switched on her phone's flashlight and made her way back to investigate.

Shadows obscured a small bundle next to the dumpster, the weak sound coming from deep within.

Peeling away the cloth with gentle hands, Allison discovered a newborn, its face flushed from crying and its voice barely more than a whisper after so many tears.

Obviously, someone had left the baby behind.