Gray gave no indication to Alice that he knew she was still married throughout the rest of dinner. Keeley wasn't sure whether he didn't care about her cheating or simply didn't want to make things awkward. Either way, his acting ability was unnerving. No wonder he'd gotten away with murder.

Gray was a dangerous person. The current peace between him and the Hales was precarious, maintained only by Aaron and Keeley walking on eggshells. Who knew how long that would last? He undeniably cared about Aaron, but what if he ever offended Gray? Would Gray turn on them again? In their past lives, that had been deadly. Things could easily go the same way if they angered him.

Keeley wished they could do more than keep Gray at arm's length, especially since he clearly wanted to be part of their lives. Aaron felt the same, but their hands were tied. The best solution would be pinning Lacy Knighton's murder on him, but they had no proof. If the police couldn't convict him, neither could they. Unless Aiden…?

Hadn't Aaron said he'd found the evidence that imprisoned Lacy for Max's murder in their past lives? Neither of them had given Gray any indication they suspected him. Lacy's murder hadn't been mentioned in his presence.

They might have Alice to thank for that; he was trying to impress her and wouldn't bring up such a gruesome topic. If Aiden found evidence to convict Gray, Brann Knighton would ensure he was imprisoned for life. Lacy's case was high-profile due to her socialite status; public opinion would be against him. In jail, he'd pose no further threat. Keeley knew Aaron had been stressing about this; it might be a solution. Whether currently a threat or not, he was a criminal, and the world would be safer with him behind bars.

Would she feel guilty about helping arrest someone who'd helped them in the past? Yes. But Gray had made his own choices. Aaron never asked him to murder anyone; he should have anticipated the consequences.

While all this raced through her mind, Keeley maintained her usual smile and participated in the conversation as if nothing was wrong. She'd keep it up until Alice moved out; then she could tell Aaron what she was thinking.

Alice wasn't thrilled, but Keeley had reviewed her finances, and Jersey City, New Jersey, across the river, was the best option. It was closer to Alice's tour guide job than parts of New York City and much cheaper.

But Alice, a lifelong New Yorker (even her college was Cambridge), didn't want to leave. Keeley swayed her by saying it was probably temporary. Brock was delaying the divorce proceedings, but afterward, Alice would likely receive enough alimony to afford Manhattan again, even if not in her usual upscale neighborhood.

So, off to Jersey City they went with the twins. After searching for rentals, Keeley narrowed their options to four places.

"I don't know how I feel about this," Alice admitted at the first apartment.

It was on the first floor, with bars on the window and a security door. The landlord admitted package theft was a problem, but no break-ins. That didn't reassure Alice.

"Have you ever lived in a place like this?" she whispered to Keeley.

"No, but my friend Lydia has, in California. She never had anything stolen, but she heard a lot of car alarms."

That was probably a mistake; Alice's face went white. She shouldn't have mentioned it, but she couldn't lie. The next apartment was on the third floor.

The problem there was the upstairs neighbor's incredibly loud subwoofer; even the ceiling fan shook. Even Keeley couldn't live with that. The babies wailed, and it took twenty minutes to calm them. That apartment was out.

The third apartment had a cockroach problem the landlord promised to fix, but Alice screamed and ran when she saw one on the counter. Keeley apologized as she followed her.

"I can't do this," Alice said miserably, panting and leaning on her knees. Keeley had never seen her look so disheveled.

"I promise not all cheap apartments are like this. Maybe we'll hit the jackpot with the next one."

Keeley remained optimistic. Transitioning to a different lifestyle was hard, but she'd only gone from rags to riches, not the other way around. Alice's struggle was different.

Her optimism paid off. The last apartment included all utilities. It was small but sufficient, even with a large window overlooking a park.

"What was it you were saying about hitting the jackpot?" Alice asked, smiling.

Keeley shrugged. "Sometimes I get lucky. What do you think?"

"I think it will suit my needs. It's close to a subway station, too." She addressed the agent: "I'll take it."

The agent was pleased. "Excellent. You'll need to fill out our online application, show proof of employment, and provide a deposit and the first month's rent. We can have you moved in as early as next week."

"Wonderful!" Alice exclaimed.

Keeley understood her relief. Being self-sufficient and free from a creep felt amazing. She laughed; she was back with the man she'd considered a creep and happily married to him. Funny how perspectives change.

The extraneous promotional material at the end was removed.