Lacy Knighton reacted poorly to Aaron's speech in the parking garage. "How dare he call me pathetic!" she fumed. "How dare he abandon his place in high society! What could be more important than ruling it?"

Graydon had been right; Aaron intended to leave their social circle. Why? Why the change of heart?

"A simple person with simple needs?" Lacy scoffed. "Alistair Hale would kill him for saying that! He's a Hale; he can't be simple."

Bethany Carlisle wouldn't be pleased. No society girl would tolerate her fiancé abandoning high society. She'd dump him instantly if she knew his true intentions.

Lacy admitted that marrying Aaron would be pointless if he weren't part of high society. But she'd come too far to back down. After their marriage, she'd force his submission.

She'd snare him the moment Bethany dropped him. But what if Bethany didn't act soon enough? Aaron had clearly hidden his intentions.

Why would he leave? It was his entire world. He'd grown up in high society. Even his dislike for his father wouldn't justify abandoning everything he knew.

This all began in high school when Keeley Hall entered his life. If Aaron weren't genuinely in love with his fiancée—who was pregnant with another man's child—Lacy would suspect Keeley's involvement.

She needed answers. At minimum, she needed Aaron's address to enact her plan.

He was paranoid, having evaded her usual surveillance cars for weeks. She used a ride-sharing app, hoping an unfamiliar car wouldn't arouse suspicion.

She instructed the driver to follow Aaron, promising a $100 tip. He readily agreed. The driver tailed Aaron to an upscale, heavily secured building in midtown Manhattan.

Lacy couldn't get the doorman to reveal Aaron's apartment number, but his evasiveness confirmed his residency. She'd done it!

Telling Alistair Hale was pointless, given her anger over his broken promise. However, informing Graydon was a good idea. She'd call him.

Graydon was dismayed that Lacy had located Aaron before him. If she staked out the building, she'd discover Keeley lived there and that Aaron had lied about the baby's paternity.

He dreaded what Lacy would do to Keeley. At least she hadn't told Alistair Hale, but there was no guarantee she wouldn't.

How could he warn them? They didn't trust him. He had their phone numbers (obtained through some simple hacking), but they'd hang up if they knew it was him.

He had to try. Who was less likely to hang up: Aaron or Keeley?

He chose Aaron, prioritizing his wife's safety. If he started by saying Keeley was in danger, Aaron might listen.

"Aaron Hale," a cool voice answered after four rings.

"Aaron, Keeley's in danger! Lacy knows where you live!" Graydon blurted, abandoning his usual composure.

"What? Who is this?"

"Graydon Meyer, but listen! She followed you home. She'll stake out your place. Keep Keeley inside."

Silence. Then, Aaron's icy voice: "How did you get this number?"

"Does that matter? I'm warning you about Lacy Knighton!"

"Why?"

"I want to be your friend. I care about you and your family. If Lacy sees Keeley, she'll know the child is yours," Graydon urged.

Aaron's voice was glacial. "I don't want to know how you know that, but how does Lacy?"

"We saw her outside that café weeks ago. I covered for you, saying Keeley had a boyfriend, but she'll know I lied if she sees Keeley at your building."

Aaron sighed wearily. "I can't hide her forever. Her graduation's this week; she can't miss it."

Graydon was surprised Aaron prioritized Keeley's feelings over her safety. He must truly love her.

He couldn't stop Lacy forever, but he could perhaps prove his sincerity by keeping Lacy away for an afternoon. If he prevented her from attending the graduation, Aaron might trust him.

"When is it? I can keep her away from your building."

"And why would you do that?"

"I like you and want you to succeed," Graydon said bluntly. "Will you accept my help?"

Aaron sighed. "I have no choice. I won't thank you. The ceremony is 2 PM Saturday. We'll leave around one and return after dinner. Can you keep her occupied from noon to seven?"

Graydon nodded, remembering Aaron couldn't see him. "Absolutely! I won't let you down. After this…will you trust me?"

"We'll see," Aaron replied frostily before hanging up.

It was a start. He would earn Aaron's trust, if it was the last thing he did. He wouldn't let Aaron slip away.

(Note: The sentence about the novel website is removed as it's irrelevant to the text cleanup and likely promotional.)