Keeley took Alice to a nearby nail salon that stayed open late, as most closed earlier. It wasn't as fancy as those Keeley was used to, but she refused to venture into that part of town due to bad memories. She didn't need reminders of her former life.

Alice didn't seem to mind; she was simply happy to be getting her nails done. It was familiar and comforting. Her manicure featured a mix of matte and glossy burgundy nails, with one pinkish-gold sparkly accent nail per hand.

Keeley's choice was far less elaborate. All her nails were yellow except for the accent nails, which were white with a lighter yellow heart on each. They were bright and fun—the opposite of the manicures she'd received in her previous life.

Back then, her nails were much more subdued and didn't suit her taste. However, to maintain the image expected of a Hale family daughter-in-law, she'd been required to get manicures every other week.

Once, when she'd accidentally chipped some of her French manicure, Roslyn had been scandalized, sending her immediately to the salon after a thorough reprimand. You'd think Keeley had flashed someone in public, rather than gone shopping with a single imperfect fingernail.

How had she ever endured that life? Especially now, knowing what it was like to live a normal life with Aaron. She should have told him how unhappy she was. Knowing now how much he loved her then, he probably would have helped.

But there was no use dwelling on the past. She was happy with her current life, and that's what mattered.

"I needed this," Alice sighed contentedly. "Thank you."

"No problem! I'm glad you're feeling better. Once you have a job, you'll still be able to do this once a month if you budget for it."

Alice's face clouded. "I don't know anything about budgeting. I've never needed to."

Ah, the wealthy. They were a different breed. Being born wealthy, like Aaron and Alice, was vastly different from becoming wealthy, like Cameron and Jennica. Those who acquired wealth later often had a greater appreciation for it; their roots remained. They understood budgeting; their budgets simply increased.

"I'll teach you," Keeley reassured her.

She'd navigated college twice on a limited income and had never been in debt. If anyone knew about budgeting, it was her.

"You're a lifesaver, Keeley," Alice said gratefully.

Keeley dismissed her thanks. She was merely doing what she wished someone had done for her years ago when she felt trapped. She saw much of her younger self in Alice.

A woman in a sharp plum-colored pantsuit at the next station turned their way. "Keeley? As in Keeley Hale?"

This couldn't be good. Her voice wary, she replied, "Why do you ask?"

"You're trending on Twitter. Everyone's calling you Cinderella." The woman showed Keeley her phone, displaying several posts. People were either praising her for marrying one of the city's richest men or calling her a gold digger.

Keeley sighed heavily. She'd known this would happen eventually. But who had revealed her secret? And why had it taken a few weeks?

"I'm not Cinderella," she said flatly. She had been, in her first life, elevating her status through marriage. But not this time. If anything, the situation was reversed. Were there any fairy tales where the prince slummed it?

The woman seemed unconvinced. "How are you not Cinderella? You married the prince of the financial world."

Keeley almost snorted. That "prince" was probably making silly faces to amuse their babies.

"Hate to burst your bubble, but Aaron isn't princely. He's relatively normal." She showed the woman candid photos of Aaron that didn't exactly project "dignity." "See? Normal. To me, he's just Aaron."

The woman's eyes widened. "Is there really anything 'just' about Aaron Hale?"

Keeley wanted to leave before attracting more attention. This woman had recognized her name—but did people know her face, too?

Alice spoke up. "He might be a brilliant businessman, but outside the office and with his family, he's like anyone else."

"Speaking of family…is it true he kicked his father out of the company for you?" the woman persisted.

"I came here to get my nails done, not be interrogated."

Keeley asked to use the nail dryer to speed things up. Her manicure had taken slightly longer than Alice's.

The manicurist, who had been attentively listening, nodded and led the way. Keeley dried her nails, paid, and walked out, feeling a sense of dignity with Alice at her side.

Apparently, people did recognize her face, because she was immediately swarmed on the sidewalk. She felt bombarded by questions:

"Is that the woman from Twitter?" "How did you end up married to the most eligible bachelor?" "Have you met your secret brother-in-law? What does Aaron think?" "Did you get pregnant to trick your husband into marrying you?" "What happened to Bethany Carlisle?"

Keeley had faced questions when her original engagement was announced, but they hadn't been this vicious. The Hales had been in the spotlight for weeks, which explained the intensity, but that didn't make it easier.