Gray let Mandy's words sink in. Would it have made a difference if he'd been more sincere with Aaron from the start? Probably. He'd been too amused by Aaron's plans to destroy their father to see him as anything beyond a pawn in their game. He cared about his brother—enough to commit murder for him—but hadn't considered Aaron's feelings.

First impressions are difficult to change, and Gray hadn't made a good one on Aaron. Their first meeting involved Gray investigating Aaron's connection to Lacy. His relentless pursuit of information from Lacy was a terrible mistake that cost him twenty-five years of his life.

He imagined a different scenario: He'd known about Aaron since Aaron was thirteen. Dismissing him as a worthless clone of Alistair, Gray never revealed himself. But once Aaron turned eighteen and began his hostile takeover, if Gray had introduced himself and offered help…

(The promotional text has been removed.)

Aaron's closest friends, Cameron Singleton and Aiden Quinn, had initially been mere tools in his father's overthrow. Had Gray gotten involved earlier, he might have become someone Aaron cared about.

The thought never occurred to him then. He was young, consumed by revenge, and saw everything as a game. Even if he hadn't offered help sooner, a less conspicuous murder of Lacy… would have kept him out of prison. He would have been involved in his niece and nephews' lives, and could have eventually won Aaron over with sincerity.

It all came down to sincerity. He wished Aaron had been sincere with him, but he hadn't been sincere either. Could two decades of strained interactions be repaired?

"I don't know how to act like my real self around him," Gray said quietly.

Only Mandy had brought out that dormant part of him, accepting him completely, darkness and all. He knew Aaron didn't accept his dark side because of his deep love for his wife, Keeley. Aaron admitted he would have been tempted to kill Lacy himself, if not for Keeley. She wouldn't love a murderer, understandably. That's why they didn't want a murderer around their children.

Interestingly, Aaron had his own darkness, which he suppressed. They were both the sons of a murderer; one succumbed to darkness, the other fought for the light.

Mandy squeezed his arm and smiled. "Why don't you practice on Britt's family? You need to meet them anyway."

His eyes widened. Meeting her family was expected, but he didn't know how to be liked without resorting to false charm.

"You'll be fine," she said, understanding his expression. "Britt is pretty easygoing."

Brittany wasn't as easygoing as her mother claimed. A week later, after a bone-crushing hug for her mother, she appraised Gray with a frown.

"So you're my mom's boyfriend."

He cleared his throat, forcing a genuine smile. "Fiancé, actually. I'm Michael Gray. Nice to meet you."

She reluctantly shook his hand. "Brittany Holt. Mom told me. We'll be having a long conversation later. Come on in."

Their three-bedroom apartment felt open and spacious, despite being filled with pictures and decorations. It was a bit much for Gray, but undeniably homey. The air smelled of chocolate chip cookies; toy vehicles were scattered across the floor. This was a happy, well-adjusted family—the kind Gray had dreamed of when in foster care.

Brittany and Jason seemed solid and upright, the type who usually disliked him. He braced himself for difficult visits but tried to stay positive.

"Your home is charming," Gray said truthfully, using his natural voice, knowing his affected tone would sound insincere.

She eyed him shrewdly, assessing his sincerity before softening slightly. "Thank you."

A toddler, Eli, her grandson, suddenly appeared, chattering about his firetruck. Chubby-cheeked, with big blue eyes and curly brown hair, he was a whirlwind of energy.

Gray hadn't cared much for children until he wanted one of his own, but he knew Mandy adored her grandson. Impressing Eli was crucial; he suspected Eli held the key to Brittany's approval.

He knelt, smiling. "I'd love to see your firetruck. Can you show me?"

Eli tilted his head. "Grammy, who's this?"

Mandy petted his head. "This is Michael. He's going to be your new grandpa."

He grinned at Gray, accepting this without question, and ran off for his truck. It was easy. Children's trust was simple. Normal children in stable environments accepted adults at face value—a luxury Gray and Mandy hadn't experienced. Adults weren't always trustworthy, especially those in the system. Uncle Louie, fueled by hatred for the Hales, had weaponized his young nephew against those he blamed for ruining his sister's life.

Alistair had certainly done that by his involvement with Mary and her murder; but his wife and child weren't directly involved. Uncle Louie was primarily responsible for Gray's years of unnecessary hatred for Aaron.

Gray felt Aaron had taken everything that should have been his. Looking back, he was grateful he hadn't become Alistair's puppet. If he and Aaron had grown up together, they would have competed for their father's nonexistent affection.