"Tell me…how long have you been watching my husband?" Keeley asked casually.
Graydon was surprised by how much she had figured out. Or more accurately, how much Aaron had figured out. He hadn't expected him to keep his wife in the loop about what was going on in his life since he seemed so overprotective.
"A while," he admitted.
To answer her question properly, he had been watching Aaron since he first learned how to hack from his roommate at MIT. Aaron was about thirteen at the time and Graydon had been so disappointed in what he found.
A soulless, programmed business bot. Highly accomplished but without a single speck of individuality. Alistair had successfully created a miniature version of himself.
Aaron had no friends, no hobbies, and no goals for himself outside of what his parents wanted. Graydon almost felt sorry for the kid but mostly he was angry that Aaron would grow up, inherit the family business, and continue Alistair's legacy. He hadn't earned any of it.
He was prepared to destroy Aaron alongside his parents until he found something interesting one day during a casual check into what the kid was up to. Aaron was only a freshman in college but suddenly his assets hit a million dollars. His own assets, unconnected to his family's accounts.
Someday he would inherit all the wealth of the Hales. So why was he bothering to make his own money?
Graydon kept a closer eye on him after that. It became clear over time that he was collecting people who were useful to him but he didn't know what Aaron's plan was until Cameron Singleton joined the company and became a shareholder.
It was at that moment that he became truly intrigued by Aaron. He wasn't his father's puppet after all. He was planning a coup d'état. The reason why eluded Graydon until Lacy Knighton told him about the woman sitting across from him now.
Keeley looked at him distrustfully. She crossed her arms over her chest, on the defensive. Did she think he was after her husband? He was the last person Aaron had to worry about.
"I'm not out to get your husband, if that's what you're thinking," he said smoothly.
"That's exactly what I'm thinking. You wouldn't look into him without a reason."
"Oh, I have my reasons. But they aren't malicious. In fact, you could say I have a vested interest in your husband's success and happiness in life."
Graydon absolutely supported the idea of getting out from Alistair's thumb and living his own life to the fullest. With this little spitfire, it seems that he had done just that. She was awfully protective of Aaron.
He deserved someone who cared about him after his cold, emotionless upbringing. Graydon was finally starting to understand what he saw in her a little bit.
Keeley's expression was still doubtful. "You really sent over those shares out of the goodness of your heart?"
He shrugged. "I wanted to give him a wedding present."
"If you're that interested in Aaron why haven't you ever tried to meet him?"
Because he had no real reason to. Aaron Hale was a very private man who was difficult to get close to. He couldn't simply walk up and say hi.
It had become even harder to talk to him since he stopped attending high society events. Lacy Knighton was fuming that she hadn't so much as seen his face in months. Aaron literally went to work and then back home again. That was it.
If he was truly in love with his wife, it made perfect sense that he would want to spend all of his free time with her. And he must be. Why else would he try so hard to keep her a secret from his father?
Graydon knew better than anyone how dangerous Alistair Hale could be. If he didn't want a person around, they vanished. Just like his mother.
"He isn't exactly the easiest person to meet," he said simply. "I'm a nobody in his eyes; I can't approach him as I please."
"Aaron isn't like that," Keeley defended.
Her phone began ringing and Graydon could see the panic in her eyes when she saw who it was. He could see the contact photo filling the screen—it was Aaron wearing an absolutely ridiculous reindeer onesie. What kind of power did this woman have over him?
"Answer it. I'd like to say hi."
She shot him one more distrustful look before doing as he said. "Why are you calling me while you're at work?" she asked without even saying hello.
Graydon could faintly hear the response. "The driver said you asked him to wait but it's been half an hour. What's taking you so long? You need to get home and rest."
"I'm fine, but I ran into someone interesting. He actually wants to talk to you."
"Keeley, what—"
She handed the phone to him with a sour look on her face. "There. Talk to him and then leave us alone."
"Gladly," he said with a smile. "Hello, Aaron. I've been having a lovely chat with your wife. Did you enjoy my wedding present?"
The ice coming through the phone was undeniable. "What are you doing with my wife, Meyer?"
So defensive! What exactly had he done to make Aaron so hostile when this was their first time speaking? Oh right, he had been looking into him. It was likely he knew about Graydon's unfortunate association with Lacy, the woman he despised most.
She was an annoying little twit but what exactly had she done that incurred Aaron's wrath? Did he know she was behind the drugging incident in high school?
"I was out to get myself some coffee and happened to run into her. It was a lucky coincidence. We've been having the most riveting conversation. No need to worry! I have nothing against you or your wife."
"Really?" he asked, his voice dripping with doubt.
These two were definitely a couple. They both had so little faith in others!
"Nothing at all," Graydon assured him. "I'm quite interested in seeing you take over Hale Investments and deposing that old fraud."
"What do you know about the fraud?"
Wait, there was actually fraud going on? He was simply calling Alistair an unpleasant name. The plot thickens.
"This is the first I've heard of it. I was merely insinuating that he isn't all that he seems to be. My my, you're truly out to destroy him completely. How wonderful."
"So your enemy is my father," Aaron stated flatly. "And that's why you helped me?"
"Yes but I would also like to be your friend."
He had longed for the day that he would be able to get closer to Aaron. He certainly hadn't expected this degree of hostility from the get-go. Though he supposed a paranoid person wouldn't enjoy finding out their activities were being monitored. He should have gone about this differently.
"I have no need of a friend like you. Anyone who uses Keeley to get to me is an enemy in my book," he said icily.
What a pity. Graydon would have to find some other way to show his sincerity. He wasn't about to give up on such an interesting person just yet.