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Tap, tap.The sound came from the entrance.

“Frank, can you do me a solid and get the door?” Manny asked.

Ivy didn’t know anyone else would be joining them but, from the look on her husband’s face. He knew who was on the other side of the door.

“Um sure,” Frank answered. From his expression, Ivy was certain he didn’t know who it was either. What the hell was Manny up to?

“Shit!” Frank exclaimed.

“I’m sorry. Am I in the wrong place?” A familiar voice asked.

“No, I’m certain you are in the right place.”

Leonardo’s face was crimson in rage. “You fucking didn’t!” he spat at Manny in a low voice, just above a whisper.

“I most certainly did,” her husband answered smugly.

“You bastard,” Leonardo hissed. He shot to his feet as she entered the room.

“Jasmine,” he breathed.

Jasmine Journee halted, and her entire body stiffened as she heard him call her name. Their eyes locked. She tilted her head to the side. God, she looked forlorn. Her purse fell to the floor. Frank’s movement to retrieve her purse broke the trance which Leonardo seemed to have held her in. Only then was she alerted to the other occupants in the room.

Her eyes scanned the table and then widened comically in shock when they landed on Manny. Jasmine Journee looked from Leonardo to Manny.

The woman looked completely shell-shocked.

“What the hell is going on here?”

Chapter Twenty-Two

ME AND MINE

Jasmine Journee’s shaking hand covered her mouth. Her eyes swung wildly around the room. Leonardo rounded the table and tried to approach her. With every step he took, she retreated until she bumped into Frank.

She turned to him and asked, “what’s happening? Why are there two of them?”

“Jasmine, how about we have a seat, and I will explain what is happening?” Stepping to her side, Frank cupped her elbow and led her to a chair.

When she sat, Jasmine Journee finally seemed to register that Ivy was in the room. “Mrs. Scott?”

“Hello, Jasmine,” Ivy replied, her tone full of sympathy.

His wife sent him an unpleasant look. His little stunt had not only blindsided Leonardo, but everyone else in the room as well. From the expression on Ivy’s face, she was disappointed in him. Emmanuel would talk his way out of this later.

“I’m so confused.” Jasmine Journee said. Ivy held out a hand to her, and she took it.

His wife cleared her throat before she began. “I don’t know how else to deliver this news. So I am just going to rip the Band-Aid off. The man who you met here, at Lancaster all those months ago, wasn’t Emmanuel Scott. This is my husband.” She said, turning to Manny.

Jasmine Journee glanced at him and then turned her gaze back to Ivy. Pointing to where Leonardo stood, she asked, “then who is he?”

“That is his identical twin brother. His name is Leonardo Baldi.”

“His what? You knew about him when you visited me?” Jasmine’s gaze was steely.

“No. I didn’t. Well, I suspected, because the man you described sounded nothing like Emmanuel. We didn’t know my husband had a twin.”

“Jesus. But… I can’t do this.” Jasmin Journee stood and bolted from the room. Both Ivy and Frank ran after her.

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