Alice tried to shield Keeley, but the crowd pressed in relentlessly. She was about to curl up on the ground when a familiar voice yelled out.

The crowd buzzed, whispering excitedly as they recognized the speaker. He drawled, "Can't we all give my sister-in-law and her friend some space?"

Seeing Gray, Alice felt conflicted. She was grateful for his intervention, but Aaron was convinced Gray had murdered Lacy, and she suspected he was right. Regardless, Gray had helped, and she needed to be gracious—and discreet about her suspicions.

"Thanks, Gray," she said as he cleared a space on the sidewalk.

"You two know each other?" someone asked.

"Why yes," Gray replied smoothly. "Aaron and I have known each other for quite some time. In fact, I was having dinner with them when Keeley went to the hospital to give birth. My niece and nephew are quite lovely."

He exuded casual elegance, hands in the pockets of his designer suit. His words were simple, yet conveyed a clear message: mess with my family, and you mess with me.

Gray lacked his brother's chilling coldness, but beneath his charming exterior, a definite darkness was palpable. The crowd subtly retreated after his speech.

"Let's get you ladies home," he said suavely, offering each an arm. "It's a bit late for such beautiful women to be wandering the streets alone."

Alice, not wanting to refuse his help, accepted. Keeley followed suit. The three of them headed to Gray's car in a nearby parking garage.

Keeley was hesitant to get in, but she was fairly certain he wouldn't harm her, especially with Alice present.

"Dearest sister-in-law," Gray clucked, "you really need to watch out for yourself. Aaron would be devastated if anything happened to you. You can't let the rabble run roughshod over you like that."

"I know," Keeley sighed. "It caught me off guard. I didn't expect to be recognized."

"You might want to lay low for a while," Gray suggested. "By the way…who is your lovely friend?"

"Alice Wheatley," Keeley replied quickly.

Keeley shot Alice a look. Using her maiden name suggested an interest in Gray—a troubling development. Not only was Gray a suspected murderer, he was a notorious playboy. The last thing the vulnerable Alice needed was involvement with him.

He turned on the charm. "The pleasure is all mine, Miss Wheatley."

Alice had already removed her wedding ring, avoiding a telltale tan line. She appeared perfectly single—and exactly Gray's type, according to the tabloids. Long legs and a striking face; she was magazine cover material. How could Keeley subtly warn him off?

Keeley decided to redirect attention. "Gray, I appreciate the rescue, but what were you doing there?"

"I was at the auto parts store next door," he explained. "A taillight went out, and I needed a replacement bulb. You're lucky I saw you."

Keeley knew he was eager to ask about Aaron's reaction to the revelation of his parentage, but he held back, considering Alice's presence. He settled for a simpler question: "How is Aaron these days? I haven't heard from him in weeks."

"Probably busy," Keeley explained. "He's had a lot to do with the handover. He prefers working from home."

Gray offered his most debonair smile. "I wouldn't want to stay late either if I had a beautiful wife waiting for me at home."

Alice bought his line, but Keeley rolled her eyes. He was utterly fake. Still, keeping him on their side was crucial. She forced a friendly demeanor.

"You better not let Aaron hear you say that," she said lightly, "or he might get the wrong idea."

His smile became more genuine. He clearly craved familial connection.

"Heaven forbid," Gray laughed. "I've seen how protective he is of you; I'd hate to see him jealous."

Keeley had seen Aaron's jealousy firsthand—it wasn't pretty. Ironically, had Aaron not been jealous about seeing her with Ryan last Valentine's Day, her life would be drastically different. His jealousy had prompted her to end things sooner than anticipated, leading her to repeat a pivotal phrase from their past life. Had she not, would they ever have realized the truth of their rebirth?

She'd already been developing feelings for him then, so they might still have ended up together, but the twins wouldn't have existed. Even without knowing the truth, their relationship wouldn't be as strong. The pain of those months led to crucial conversations that helped them rebuild. It had been difficult, but looking back, Keeley wouldn't change a thing. Things happened precisely as they were meant to. Fate, she realized, had a way of working itself out.

"I wouldn't recommend it," Keeley said with a smile.

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