The Last Mrs. Parrish(101)

“I hate her,” Tallulah announced.

“Come here.” She pulled Tallulah into her arms and whispered, “I know she’s horrible. Try to ignore her and just enjoy your father.”

“Girls!” They looked up to see Jackson come in, and they both ran into his arms.

“I guess that’s my cue.” Daphne stood. “I’ll be back on Sunday to pick them up.”

Jackson wouldn’t even look in her direction, and she watched as the three of them left the room.

She went back to the foyer, and as her hand reached for the doorknob, Amber’s voice rang out.

“Bye, Daph. Don’t worry. I’ll take good care of your little brats.”

Daphne swung around, glaring at her. “You harm one hair on their heads, and I’ll kill you.”

She laughed. “You’re so dramatic. They’ll be fine. Just don’t be late picking them up. I have naughty plans for my husband. He can’t get enough of me.”

“Enjoy it while you can.”

Her face darkened. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

Daphne smiled. “You’ll find out soon enough.”





Seventy




Daphne was about to play her trump card. They had been divorced for two months now, and Daphne had already put the millions she walked away with to good use. She had gotten custody of the girls, and Jackson had weekend visitation rights. She was here to change that.

She walked up to Jackson’s assistant’s desk.

“Good morning, Douglas. Is he alone?”

“Yes, but is he expecting you?”

“No, but I’ll only take a moment. Promise.”

“Okay.”

She walked into Jackson’s office.

He looked up, surprised. “What are you doing here?”

“Good morning to you too. I have a bit of news that you’ll find most interesting,” she told him as she shut the door and handed him a file.

“What the hell is this?” His face turned white as he scanned the contents. “This can’t be right. I’ve seen her passport.”

“Amber is a missing person. Your wife, Lana, is using her identity. How does it feel to be the one on the other side? She’s nothing but a common con artist.” She laughed. “Makes you wonder if she really wants you or just your money.”

The vein in his temple was pulsating so hard she thought it might break through the skin.

“I don’t understand,” he sputtered, continuing to look the article over.

“It’s quite simple. Amber—I mean Lana—targeted you. She insinuated herself into my life with the express purpose of landing a rich husband. Of course, once I was onto her, she became my golden ticket out.”

“What are you talking about? You knew she and I were together?”

“I orchestrated it. I practically gift-wrapped her for you. The weekend at the lake, I drove you right into her arms. And the reason I couldn’t get pregnant? Well, let’s just say it’s hard to get pregnant when you’re using an IUD.”

His eyes opened wide in surprise. “You played me?”

“I learned from the best.”

“You fuc—”

“Now, now, Jackson. It won’t do to lose your cool.”

His breath was coming faster. “Are you planning on exposing her?”

“That depends on you.”

“What do you want?”

“For you to terminate your parental rights.”

“Are you crazy? I’m not signing away my rights to my children.”

“If you don’t, I’ll go to the police and tell them who she is. They’ll arrest her. Is that the legacy you want for your son? A convict for a mother? He’ll never get into Charterhouse with that kind of background.”

He slammed his fist on the desk. “You bitch!”

Daphne arched an eyebrow, feeling calm in his presence for the first time in years. “If you’re going to start name-calling, I’ll just go ahead and phone the police. Maybe the newspapers too, so they can see your new wife leave the house in handcuffs.”

He took several loud, deep breaths, clenching and unclenching his fists. “How do I know once I sign away my rights you won’t turn her in anyway?”

“You don’t. But you know I’m not like you. I just want to get away from you once and for all. As long as you’re with Amber, I know you’ll leave me alone. That’s all I want. So you’ll sign?”

“What will people think? I can’t have them thinking I’ve abandoned my children,” he said.

She shook her head. “You tell them I wouldn’t grant you the divorce unless you agreed to let me go to California; that I’ve been cheating on you, whatever you want. You’re good at making things up. Paint me as the horrible parent and pretend you come out to see them every chance you get. No one will know.”

“You don’t care how you look?”

“No. That’s your game.” All she cared about was getting her children and herself as far away from him as possible. “You’ll have everything you want. And before you even think of doing anything to stop me, please know that if anything happens to me, all the evidence will be forwarded to Meredith. And I’ve made other contingency plans as well.”