Lacy Knighton was throwing a tantrum. She hadn't been able to drug Aaron at his birthday party on Saturday because he hadn't attended. Everything had been meticulously planned! His absence infuriated her.

Alistair Hale had changed the party to a cocktail affair at the last minute, but no one was fooled. They knew Aaron had abandoned his family, disregarding their pride, and whispers circulated. Lacy saw Alice Kelly barely suppressing hysterical laughter.

Graydon must be right; Alice was working with Aaron. There was no other explanation for her amusement. Lacy wouldn't have been jealous if she didn't know Alice was pathetically in love with her cheating husband.

The party was a disaster! Aaron was supposed to be there. She was to slip a drug into his drink during the toast, and her father would help spirit him away. He would be forced to take responsibility for her and break up with his fiancée. But he hadn't shown up.

She smashed everything within reach, chest heaving. If he skipped his own birthday party, she didn't know when she'd see him next.

She couldn't go to his office; security would eject her. It had happened before.

Lacy didn't know his schedule, habits, or address. She'd asked Graydon to find it, but he claimed his hands were tied because Aaron paid to be unlisted. "Some hacker," she thought sarcastically.

He was even more useless than Max! Why had she even bothered?

She called Graydon. He answered on the third ring.

"Lacy, what a pleasant surprise," Graydon purred. "What can I do for you?"

"I need information on Aaron's whereabouts. You're a hacker; can't you track his spending?"

He ignored her. "I do have something interesting. I saw him at a restaurant a few weeks ago."

"Who was he with?" she demanded.

"Nobody. He was dining alone. You always jump to conclusions. His fiancée is out of the country, isn't she? Of course he'd be alone."

Lacy's blood boiled at "pretty little fiancée." She was far prettier than that redhead!

"If you're not helpful, I'm hanging up," she warned.

Graydon chuckled. She could practically hear it. "But Lacy, dear, you called me."

She hung up, nearly throwing her phone in frustration. Talking to him was awful! She could find this out herself. She wasn't a top socialite for nothing; she had brains to match her beauty.

Graydon laughed at Lacy's idiocy. Despite his claims, he'd done considerable research since their last meeting, especially after seeing Aaron dining with Keeley Hall and her father.

He concluded Aaron wasn't cheating because Bethany Carlisle didn't exist. Others wouldn't agree; proof of her existence existed—the Carlisle family of Boston had a daughter by that name.

However, all records of her birth, photos, articles—everything—were encrypted. He realized the real Bethany Carlisle was barely nine years old.

She couldn't be the woman Aaron proposed to. She was a fake.

Further Facebook investigation revealed Aiden Quinn and a grainy photo of "Bethany Carlisle" were strikingly similar. A picture showed Aiden with his arm around a girl who looked exactly like her.

Aaron had either involved Aiden's sister or made his lackey dress as a girl to annoy Lacy. Graydon nearly cackled. Aaron never disappointed.

Since Aaron wasn't cheating, Graydon suspected Keeley Hall was the woman he loved. She was the reason he was rebelling against his father and trying to oust him from his company.

Graydon rooted for him, though he didn't understand his interest in such a "normal" girl. Graydon preferred breathtaking beauties—models, actresses, etc. But to each their own.

He researched Keeley Hall. Her mother and brother were dead; her father lived in Brooklyn. Her mail was sent there because she no longer lived at her previous address…which was across the hall from Aiden Quinn.

Definitely suspicious. Aaron kept a close friend near her for safety in a rough neighborhood. Well played.

But where was she now? According to Robert Hall's neighbors, he lived alone; his daughter visited weekly, likely to collect her mail.

Was she staying with Aaron? The thought intrigued Graydon. This was getting interesting.

If he was harboring a forbidden woman, it made sense he kept his address unlisted. His parents probably didn't know where he lived! Delightful.

Alistair Hale never deserved his son. Graydon was glad Aaron was taking action. Anyone on Alistair's side was an enemy to be vanquished.

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