The superstition proved correct—Keeley and Aaron had a relatively happy first year together, but only because she was blinded by love and unable to see the red flags. Back then, she truly believed he cared for her, even though his actions showed otherwise. She excused his coldness, attributing it to his upbringing. What a joke. Aaron cared only for himself.

So why the sonnet about a movie she liked? He'd never been creative. His compliments, when he gave them, were generic at best. Expensive gifts hadn't worked, so he was trying a different tactic? She wouldn't fall for it.

He would discard her once he got what he wanted, bored and seeking someone more befitting his status. Just like last time.

Her heart ached. If he'd shown even a fraction of this effort in her previous life, things might have been different. Or maybe not.

There was still Lacy Knighton to contend with. Even if he'd remained devoted to his wife, Lacy might have killed Keeley to remove her.

She didn't understand it. Aaron had already filed for divorce to be with Lacy and raise their child. Why kill the ex-wife when she was already leaving? Wasn't humiliating her for life enough?

Lacy wouldn't forget the kiss at the dance. It was a miracle she hadn't acted sooner. Another thing to dread about school.

Keeley wished she'd never gone to Westwind, never gotten involved with the wealthy, and never fallen for that emotionally unavailable man.

The confrontation occurred the next day at lunch. Lacy found Keeley in the library and confronted her.

"Listen, little miss nobody, Aaron Hale is toying with you at best. Someone like you could never be with him, so I'll warn you once: back off!"

Keeley stared blankly at her former enemy. How pathetic. They weren't even dating, and Lacy was already acting like a jealous girlfriend.

"He's the one who won't back off. If you could get him to leave me alone, I'd be grateful. You can have him! I want nothing to do with him!"

Surprise and suspicion flickered across the heiress's face.

"A gold digger like you would never let go of such a catch. He kissed you; I saw it. You're going to use it to manipulate him into a relationship."

She was delusional!

"I'm not," Keeley insisted. "He's harassing me. I'd be happiest never seeing him again. Why don't you bother him instead of me?"

Lacy's eyes narrowed. "How dare you? Do you have any idea who he is? Who are you to speak to him so disrespectfully?!"

Some people are impossible to reason with. Keeley sighed.

"You're angry if I want him and angry if I don't. Pick a side. Believe what you want, but I have absolutely zero interest in Aaron Hale. He's all yours. Excuse me, I have better things to do."

She broke free, pushed past Lacy, and hid in the bathroom. She almost ran into Aaron by the lockers.

"You!" Keeley fumed. "Control your girlfriend! I want nothing to do with this!"

"My girlfriend?" he asked coldly. "What girlfriend?"

"That one," she spat, as Lacy stormed out of the library toward them.

Keeley sprinted away from the two people she hated most.

"Keeley!" Aaron called, but she was gone, and Lacy had attached herself to his side.

"Aaron," she whined. "That girl is so rude. Please tell me you're just messing with her."

He looked at her with disgust and shoved her away. "Don't touch me. The only one without manners is you."

Lacy's lip trembled, tears forming. "How could you say that after she bullied me? You're defending her? I thought we—"

"You thought wrong," he said harshly. "I have no interest in someone as fake as you."

Lacy gritted her teeth. He wasn't like this before Christmas break.

Aaron had always eaten lunch with the elite group until one day he sat with scholarship students, even driving one home. Afterward, he stopped joining the elite lunch group, and Lacy knew something was wrong, especially when he didn't ask anyone to the Valentine's dance. She'd been counting on being his date! Then he danced with, and kissed, Keeley!

What was better about Keeley Hall? Her looks were average, she had no money, and supposedly ignored him. Maybe he liked girls who played hard to get. Once the chase ended, he'd lose interest.

"Don't be like that, Aaron, I'm just worried about you," Lacy said, feigning hurt.

"You aren't qualified to worry about me. We have nothing to do with each other."

"Have you forgotten our fathers' partnership?" she shouted, her fists clenched.

Aaron looked at her as if she were dirt.

"Nothing that man does concerns me. If you try to use him, you're worse than I thought."

Real tears welled in her eyes. How could he do this? She loved him! No one was better suited to be by his side, especially not that gold digger.

"Aaron!"

"Stay out of my way," he growled, heading in Keeley's direction.

Something had to be done about Keeley. But what? She claimed to want nothing to do with Aaron. Could she be telling the truth? Was Lacy barking up the wrong tree?

She texted Max: 'I need you to watch someone for me.'

'Who?'

'Keeley Hall. I want to know everything about her daily life. Even if she sneezes.'

'What's in it for me?'

'A date.' Lacy wasn't happy about it, but she knew how to use her resources.

'Two dates.'

'Fine. Start today.' She snapped her phone shut and smiled wickedly. She'd find out if Keeley was telling the truth. If she was, Lacy might even let her go.

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