Page 110 of The Last Mrs. Parrish

“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.”

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