“So Mary is his daughter.” He shoved his phone at her, showing the DNA results. “I’m not her father, Clara. Which means you lied to me. You used me. Just like Veronica said.”
“No! Johnson, that’s not… Something’s wrong with that test! Mary is yours! I’ve never been with anyone else! Daniel and I… we got married because I was pregnant and alone and scared! He offered to help! But we never… it was never consummated! Mary is yours!”
“Then why does the test say otherwise?”
“I don’t know! But please, you have to believe me!”
“Why?” Johnson said flatly. “For the money. You’re dying, you’re desperate. It’s a perfect con.”
Clara was sobbing, her heart monitor beeping frantically. “It’s not a con! Johnson, please, look at her! You said it yourself!”
“I was wrong. I saw what I wanted to see.” He turned to the door. “I’ll continue to pay for your treatment. I’m not that cruel. But Mary needs to go back to your neighbor’s. I can’t have her in my house.”
“Johnson, no! Please! She’ll be heartbroken! She loves you! She thinks you’re her father!”
“Then you should have thought of that before you lied to her. And to me.”
He left, Clara’s sobs following him down the hall.
Back at the penthouse, Mary was waiting by the door, her eyes red. “Dad? What happened? Why are you so angry?”
Johnson looked at her. This little girl who had trusted him. He should be gentle. But the betrayal was too raw. “Pack your things,” he said. “You’re going to stay with your mother’s neighbor.”
“What? Why? Did I do something wrong?”
“Just pack your things, Mary.”
“But I don’t understand! I thought we were a family! I thought you were my dad!”
“I’m not your dad!” The words came out sharper than he intended. “The DNA test came back. We’re not related. Your mother lied to both of us.”
Mary’s face crumpled. “No… no, that’s not true. Mom wouldn’t lie! She promised!”
“Well, she was wrong. Or she lied. Either way, you can’t stay here anymore.”
Veronica appeared in the hallway, watching with quiet satisfaction. Mary saw her. “It’s because of her, isn’t it? She doesn’t want me here! She’s making you send me away!”
“This has nothing to do with Veronica!”
“Yes, it does! She hates me! She hates Mom! She’s lying to you!”
“Enough!” Johnson’s voice was sharp as a whip. “Go. Pack. Now.”
Mary fled to her room, sobbing. Johnson sank onto the couch, his head in his hands. Veronica sat beside him, placing a hand on his shoulder. “I know this is hard. But you did the right thing.”
“Don’t touch me,” Johnson growled, shrugging her hand off. “Just… don’t.”
Thirty minutes later, Mary emerged. She was wearing her old clothes again, leaving all the new things behind. Her backpack was on. “I’m ready,” she whispered.
The drive was silent, filled only by Mary’s quiet crying. Johnson’s jaw was clenched so tight it ached. He told himself he was right. He’d been lied to, manipulated. But as he glanced at Mary in the rearview mirror, clutching her rabbit, he felt like the worst person in the world.
He walked her up to Mrs. Margaret’s apartment. The elderly woman opened the door, took one look at Mary’s face, and pulled her into a hug.
Johnson turned to leave, but Mary’s voice stopped him. “Dad…”
He looked back. She was standing in the doorway, tears streaming down her face. “I don’t care what the test says. You’re still my dad. You’ll always be my dad.”
Johnson felt something shatter in his chest. But he just turned and walked away. “Goodbye, Mary.”
He sat in his car for a long time. His phone buzzed. A text from Mary. I love you dad. I’m sorry for whatever I did wrong. Please don’t hate me.
Then another. Mom says the test is wrong. She says you’re my real dad and something bad happened to make it say you weren’t. Please believe her.
And another. I know I’m just a kid… but I know you’re my dad. I can feel it. Doesn’t that count for something?
Johnson turned off his phone.
He went home and poured a scotch. And another. Veronica found him in his office. “You did the right thing,” she said again.
“Did I?” his voice was hollow. “Because it feels like I just destroyed a little girl.”
“Her mother lied to you, Johnson.”
“Or… maybe the test was wrong. Maybe there was a mistake.”
Veronica’s expression tightened. “The test wasn’t wrong. Dr. Collins is the best.”
“Then why does she look exactly like me? Why does she have my eyes, my chin?”
“Coincidence. Genetics are strange.”
Johnson studied her. And suddenly, he saw it. “How did you get that marriage certificate so quickly?” he asked, his voice dangerously quiet.
“What? I told you, public records…”..
