Lacy eyed Max suspiciously over lunch. "You're sure she's not going to prom with Aaron?"

He nodded, his mouth full. A minute later, he replied, "Benjamin says he's going with Alice Wheatley. I overheard her talking to her friends yesterday; she's not going at all."

Lacy frowned. This threw a wrench in their plans. They'd intended to drug Keeley's drink at the prom and take incriminating photos in a hotel room. Max had mentioned a contingency plan, but it was riskier. How would they get her without being seen?

He saw her worry and smiled confidently. "Don't worry, my cousin owes me a favor. I'll have him send extra security to the three nearby subway stations. They're trained to be stealthy; they can tranquilize her and whisk her away in seconds. No one will notice in a crowd."

Reassured, Lacy felt better. This would surely end her annoyance with Aaron. Who wants a partner who causes so many problems? Keeley would disappear from school, and it would all be over. She'd get what she deserved for trying to rise above her station.

They finished lunch, discussing prom preparations. Lacy had an appointment with a stylist for hair, nails, and makeup. As a prom queen nominee, she needed to outshine everyone. Winning would boost her social status, but more importantly, Aaron was a king nominee. If they both won, he'd have to dance with her—a chance for redemption.

As the bell rang, Max grabbed Lacy's arm, whispering, "I'll text you when my cousin's men have her. See you at six!"

Lacy nodded, a cruel smile playing on her lips. "This could be fun."

Keeley grinned as her friends finished singing a slightly off-key happy birthday song. She couldn't have candles at school, and they wouldn't fit on the donuts Jeffrey brought.

"I would have brought cupcakes, but you'll have plenty of cake tonight," he apologized.

"Donuts are great! And you're right; my dad's buying me a special ice cream cake, and I'll probably eat most of it this weekend." With only two of them and the family baker absent, he bought a small cake every year from Keeley's favorite ice cream shop. She always chose red velvet cake with cake batter ice cream, rainbow sprinkles, and Kit-Kats.

She missed her mom's homemade cakes, but still looked forward to this annual treat.

"Jeffrey's present is just the donuts, so open mine!" Lydia urged, placing a wrapped gift before Keeley.

"Hey, these cost me fifteen bucks!" Jeffrey protested, but Lydia ignored him, watching expectantly as Keeley unwrapped the gift—another mystery novel by her favorite author, the same gift Lydia had given her before.

"Thanks, guys! You're the best."

They smiled guiltily. "We wish we could do something fun with you, but senior prom only comes once. How about bowling tomorrow?" Jeffrey suggested.

"Don't worry, I understand. That sounds fun!"

The rest of lunch was filled with laughter. It was a pretty good birthday, even with Aaron's unexpected, almost friendly birthday wishes after weeks of silence.

Seeing his gift, she braced herself. He had a habit of giving insanely expensive, unwanted gifts. Refusing a birthday gift publicly would be awkward, but the contents surprised her. It was expensive, yes, but catered to her interests.

Aaron's gift-giving wasn't usually thoughtful. When they dated, it was electronics or appliances. After they married, it was luxury items to help her fit in as Mrs. Hale—things she often didn't like, but appreciated as small gestures of affection.

This gift, however, clearly showed thought. She reacted warmer than she should have and let him put it on her. She'd mentioned her plans to be a geneticist, and the DNA strand necklace was perfect.

Keeley felt conflicted. Objectively, she loved it, but it was from Aaron—the man she hated and was avoiding. Returning it meant interacting with him again, which he'd been respecting lately. Keeping it meant being reminded of him constantly.

She hadn't decided by the end of the day. On the subway, she fingered the necklace. Keep it or return it? Returning it could reignite his interest. She could keep it but not wear it

The men approached unnoticed in the rush hour crowd. Keeley didn't see the tranquilizer dart until it hit her neck. One man wrapped an arm around her, making it seem natural as he pulled her into the shadows. The promotional message for NovelFire.net has been removed as it's irrelevant to the text's content.