“Public records take days. Unless you already knew where to look. Unless you’d already done the research.”
“Johnson, you’re being paranoid…”
“And the DNA test,” Johnson said, standing up. “You were listening outside my office. You knew the results… almost like you knew they’d come back negative. Almost like you made sure they would.”
“That’s insane! You’re drunk!”
“Dr. Collins’s office. You’ve been there with me. You know his staff. What if I call him right now? What if I ask him if the samples could have been tampered with?”
Veronica’s face went pale. And then she broke.
“I did it because I love you!” she cried. “Everything I’ve done… it’s because I love you! Clara wasn’t right for you! She was weak, poor, ordinary! You needed someone like me!”
“So you admit it.” Johnson felt sick. “You sabotaged us.”
“She wasn’t good enough for you!”
“That wasn’t your decision to make!” Johnson roared. “You took eight years from me! Eight years of my daughter’s life! Clara’s cancer… she might not be dying right now if you hadn’t torn us apart!”
“I didn’t give her cancer!”
“No! But you made sure she faced it alone! And you made sure Mary grew up without a father! All because you wanted me!”
“What was I supposed to do?” she sobbed. “Just watch you be happy with someone else?”
Johnson felt nothing but disgust. “Get out. Get your things, and get out of my home. Tonight.”
“Johnson, please!”
“Now!” He picked up his phone. “I’m calling Dr. Collins. I’m ordering a new DNA test, from a different lab, with samples that never leave my sight. And if I find out you tampered with that first test… I will destroy you. I will press charges. Do you understand?”
Veronica stared at him, her mask of civility gone, revealing the desperate, ugly obsession beneath. “You’ll regret this,” she hissed. “When that test comes back negative too, you’ll come crawling back!”
“Good. Because I never want to see you again.”
She stormed out. Thirty minutes later, she was gone. The penthouse felt clean.
Johnson turned his phone back on. Seventeen missed texts from Mary. He read them all, his heart breaking. He typed a reply with shaking hands.
Mary, I’m sorry for how I acted. I was hurt and angry, and I took it out on you. That was wrong. I’m going to fix this. I’m going to find out the truth. And no matter what that truth is, you will always be special to me. I promise.
The reply came instantly. Does that mean you’re my dad again?
Johnson stared at the message. He wanted to say yes. But he needed proof. Real proof.
I don’t know yet. But I’m going to find out. Trust me.
I trust you dad.
Johnson didn’t sleep. Around 3 a.m., a new text came. Dad? Are you awake? Mom’s really sick tonight. The nurses are worried. Can you come?
Johnson was out the door in two minutes. He found Clara pale and sweating, her body having a severe reaction to the chemo. He told the nurse, “I’m family,” and sat by her bed.
He showed her the DNA results. She wept. “That test is wrong, Johnson. I swear on my life. I have never been with anyone else. You were my first. My only. Daniel… that marriage was never consummated. He knew I was pregnant with your baby. He offered to help, give her a name. Mary is yours.”
Johnson told her about Veronica’s confession. “You think… you think she tampered with the test?” Clara whispered.
“I’m ordering a new one tomorrow,” he said…
