Keeley had a little time before her driver arrived, so she went to a nearby café and bought a cherry cheese danish. Her nerves were gone, and she was ravenous—technically eating for three.

She sat down, happily munching on her treat. She'd passed her dissertation, bought Aaron more time with his father, and could finally enjoy Christmas.

It was unbelievable that Alistair hadn't yet realized Bethany Carlisle was fictitious. Everyone involved in the charade had played their parts flawlessly.

Considering Alistair's perspective—his son was acting out for the first time ever; there had to be a reason. Being in love was a pretty good reason.

But Alistair had no idea who Aaron was actually in love with. He probably assumed Aaron's recent behavior was for Bethany's sake.

How would he react to the truth? Knowing him from her past life, probably very badly. Alistair Hale was a rigid, controlling, old-fashioned man who tolerated no deviation from his norms.

He'd been furious when Aaron and Keeley first got engaged. Finding out his son had secretly married and had two children would be far worse, especially since he'd be powerless to stop it.

After the incident with the shares (likely sent by Graydon Meyer), Aaron had explained his plan to take over the company. She appreciated it; for the first time in either of their lives, she truly felt like a wife—as if they were a team against the world.

She was impressed by the time and effort he'd already invested. He'd been planning this since high school so they could be together without his parents' interference. It was actually quite sweet.

"Mind if I sit here?" a debonair voice asked.

Keeley looked up, her heart nearly stopping. Graydon Meyer? A quick glance confirmed there were no other seats; refusing would be rude. She didn't want to arouse his suspicion.

He obviously knew her, but since they weren't sure if he was an enemy, she wouldn't reveal her knowledge.

"Sure," she said casually. "Gray, right? We met at the medical school."

He smiled charmingly. "Good memory. What have you been up to? Staying away from troublesome ex-friends, I hope?"

He already knew she was a medical student. A partial truth wouldn't hurt; she needed to play it cool and gather information.

"I haven't seen him since you helped me. I actually defended my doctoral thesis this morning. I'm celebrating while waiting for my ride."

Graydon made an impressed sound. "And I thought you were a medical student. Congratulations, Doctor. What's your PhD in?"

"Developmental genetics. What about you?"

"I'm an app developer." The promotional material for NovelFire.net has been removed.

It wasn't a complete lie; his empire stemmed from a single app's overnight success years ago. She wondered about his motives.

It definitely wasn't a coincidence. Last time, he'd likely approached her to learn about Aaron Hale's love interest. He was trying to glean information, too. She couldn't let her guard down.

Luckily, she was already seated. From his angle, her pregnancy was hidden beneath the table. She definitely didn't want him to find out if he was an enemy.

"Oh, I remember you mentioned getting married. How was the wedding?" Graydon asked, amused.

The real interrogation began. She'd play along.

"It was lovely. Very small, family only. My husband bought my favorite cake from that famous New Jersey bakery. Seen the TV show?"

"No, but I've heard of it. I might check it out," he said casually. "Your husband seems very devoted."

Keeley smiled. An understatement. "He is."

"How long have you two known each other?"

An excellent question—one he likely already knew the answer to, at least in this lifetime. Lying wouldn't be beneficial.

"Since senior year of high school, almost eight years. Time flies."

She tried to turn the conversation, but her brain felt fried from her dissertation defense.

What to ask? She couldn't directly ask about his dealings with Aaron or Alistair Hale, or Lacy Knighton. But she could ask about a girlfriend.

That might reveal their closeness. If he was the man Aaron suspected, he and Lacy would likely have become close enough to eventually have a child. It was a long shot.

"What about you? Significant other?"

Graydon shook his head. "Afraid not. Haven't found anyone worth more than a few dates. No rush. I'm focusing on my career."