The Next Mrs. Parrish by Liv Constantine
Author:Liv Constantine [Constantine, Liv]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Random House Publishing Group
Published: 2024-06-18T00:00:00+00:00
â 26 â
DAPHNE
âUnder no circumstances should you agree to move back into that house.â Howard Grimms, Deanâs family law colleague, sits across from me at a glass table in his office. Heâs taken over my case, but Dean will stay on the team at Meredithâs request.
âHow can I not? If I donât, Bella will think I donât care about her. Jacksonâs not going to let me talk to her, and besides, sheâs too young to understand all the complexities of this situation. And Iâm already guilty in Tallulahâs mind. Every day that goes by more damage is being done to my relationship with them.â
He shakes his head. âLook, I get it. But donât you see that by moving back in with him youâre negating your claims that your husband was abusive and that he engineered what happened all those years ago when you were committed? How are we going to convince Family Court that heâs the unfit parent, not you, if you move back into the house? And heâs still married. Thatâs not going to look good.â
I sigh, not wanting to admit heâs right, even though I know he is. âHave you made any headway with DCF? Where are they with the investigation?â
He purses his lips. âTheyâve barely started. Theyâre overworked and understaffed. Since the girls are in a stable environment, they see no need to expedite things.â
My heart is pounding so hard I put a hand to my chest trying to slow it. âSo you expect me to just sit back and wait while they take forever to do their jobs? I canât do that!â
âYou have to think of the longââ
I spring up from my chair, pacing now. âIf you say the long game, Iâll scream. This is not a game. This is my life. My childrenâs lives. You donât know what Jackson is like. The gaslighting. The psychological games. I will not subject my children to that. I have to move back in and protect them.â
He throws his hands up. âItâs your decision. I think itâs unwise, and Iâm strenuously advising against it. Youâd be at his mercy. He can spin this any way he wants, and you could end up in worse shape.â
âYou think my chances are better if I refuse him and hope that the investigation bears out the truth, that Iâm a good mother and they have no reason to keep me from the girls?â
He nods. âExactly. By acquiescing to him now, in the long run you may lose big-time. I canât imagine how difficult this is for you, but isnât it better for your kids to be sad for a couple of months and then back with you for good, rather than risk losing them?â
Dean gives me a sympathetic look. âI have to agree with Howard. I think you need to ride this out.â
I sit back down. âRealistically, when can I expect to be cleared?â
âIt could take sixty days or even longer. Iâve got the affidavit from your therapist, and Iâve sent that over to them.
Download
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.
In Control (The City Series) by Crystal Serowka(35465)
The Wolf Sea (The Oathsworn Series, Book 2) by Low Robert(34036)
We Ride Upon Sticks by Quan Barry(33471)
Crowbone (The Oathsworn Series, Book 5) by Low Robert(32506)
The Book of Dreams (Saxon Series) by Severin Tim(32384)
The Daughters of Foxcote Manor by Eve Chase(22481)
Trainspotting by Irvine Welsh(20295)
Call Me by Your Name by André Aciman(19215)
Shot Through The Heart (Supernature Book 1) by Edwin James(18029)
The Secret History by Donna Tartt(16996)
The Girl from the Opera House by Nancy Carson(15075)
Sad Girls by Lang Leav(13481)
American King (New Camelot #3) by Sierra Simone(13384)
Pimp by Iceberg Slim(13132)
All the Missing Girls by Megan Miranda(12997)
The Betrayed by Graham Heather(11839)
The Betrayed by David Hosp(11819)
4 3 2 1: A Novel by Paul Auster(11237)
Still Me by Jojo Moyes(10073)
![](/ebook_detail_files/space.gif)