Aaron had been enjoying a wonderful day until Aiden and Cameron burst into his office. He was still savoring the warmth Keeley had shown him at breakfast the previous day.

Aiden's nosiness was expected, but Cameron's presence was a surprise. Unless… that brat Aiden had told him. Cameron hadn't known about Keeley; it wasn't relevant to his work.

"She thanked me sincerely and smiled," Aaron told them. "Happy now?"

Aiden furrowed his brow. "That's it? You're in the strangest mood I've seen in six years, and it's just because she was polite?"

It sounded ridiculous when he put it that way. Maybe Aaron was overthinking. Basic politeness from Keeley was unusual, especially toward him.

Perhaps she'd matured; they had been apart for over five years. That thought instantly soured his mood.

"What's it to you?" he asked coldly.

"Nothing," Aiden said innocently, perching on the desk's edge. "So… when are you seeing her again?"

"Tomorrow. I took your cat advice."

Cameron stared, wide-eyed. "Cat… advice?"

Aiden explained, "Keeley has a cat, so I told him to ask for her help picking one out. It'll help them bond."

"I can't picture you with a cat," Cameron said. "Or any pet."

Aaron sighed. Had they come only to test his patience?

"I've never had one, but it can't be that hard. I've already found reputable breeders online. It should be easy."

Despite what he'd told Keeley, he did trust the internet somewhat and had researched prominent cat breeds. A Savannah or Bengal would be nice.

Aiden leaped from the desk, horrified. "No! That'll make things worse!"

"What do you mean?" Aaron asked, his annoyance growing.

"How did Keeley get her cat? She found it in a storm drain, covered in mud. She took it in after the vet confirmed its owners abandoned it, and she was furious. She has a strong sense of justice. If you want to impress her, get a rescue cat from a shelter!"

The hacker spoke as if to a toddler. Aaron was insulted but had to admit he had a point; the only expensive gift he'd given her that she kept was a DNA necklace, reflecting her interests.

Keeley had a soft heart; she'd probably love an animal shelter. But those places were loud and dirty, weren't they? Aaron had never been to one and wasn't sure he wanted to.

"I got my dog from Happy Paws Animal Rescue in Brooklyn," Cameron offered. "Give them a try."

"Since when do you have a dog?! I want to see!" Aiden demanded, grabbing Cameron's phone.

Cameron unlocked it, showing them pictures of a brown and white Labrador/Pitbull mix: on a carpet, running in the park, and at the beach.

"This is Ziggy. I got him three years ago with my ex-girlfriend. Last year, she left for Florida…"

"Dude, you travel monthly. What about Ziggy?"

"The downtown dog hotel knows us well. We have a membership; he gets his own room, walks, and playtime. He's fine with it," Cameron explained.

Aaron was surprised. He knew nothing about Cameron's life outside work, beyond a clean background check.

"I had no idea you had a dog."

Cameron shrugged. "Shelter information? Cats are twenty-five bucks."

Twenty-five dollars for a pet? Unbelievable. Then again, Keeley got hers for free.

"Sure. Thank you."

Aiden pouted. "Now I want a pet! Everyone else has one."

Aiden couldn't care for another creature. He barely cared for himself! He lived off ramen and takeout despite being able to afford more. It was a lifestyle choice.

"Get a fish; it's probably all you can handle," Aaron said coolly.

"Ouch."

Aiden's mind raced. "What about a lizard, snake, or frog… something in a tank?"

"A hamster," Cameron suggested from the couch. "Small, caged, but still soft."

Aiden's eyes lit up. "I could! Those amazing cages with tunnels? A hamster palace!"

Aaron had no time for this. Their helpfulness quota was met. "Get back to work. I don't pay you to laze around."

"That's exactly what you pay me for," Aiden retorted.

The room's temperature plummeted as Aaron's temper flared. "Aiden," he growled.

"Right away, boss!" Aiden said cheerfully, practically bouncing out the door.

Aaron heard them discussing hamsters down the hall. They left the door open.

Feeling a headache coming on, he closed the door, then sat back down. He often questioned keeping them. They were difficult to replace.

But they were useful. He couldn't have built his empire without them. He stared at the reports Aiden compiled on neutral shareholders.

Bruce was his best target. He'd been with the company a long time, and Alistair refused to promote him from head of finance to CFO. Aaron was waiting for the right moment.

The current CFO was retiring in a year. If he convinced his father to promote Bruce instead of hiring externally, and made a deal with Bruce, that would be another shareholder on his side. An extra 4% would be helpful.

Unfortunately, he still needed to acquire Alistair's shares—his best bet for complete control. Then it would be smooth sailing. (The final sentence about a website was removed as it's an advertisement.)