Chapter 55

Valerie

"I don't know her," he sighed. "I have no idea who she is and I swear on my daughter that I had never seen her."

The tension in the room dissipated like a storm passing, leaving behind a sense of eerie calmness. Mr. Johnson's words echoed in my mind, his declaration of innocence a small ray of hope in the midst of chaos. I turned to look at my father, whose expression mirrored my own sense of relief, his shoulders slumping in defeat as he acknowledged the truth.

"However," he paused as he took a good look at me. "I think I now understand why your father thinks that I'm the man your mother cheated with," Mr. Johnson continued, his voice tinged with resignation. I felt a surge of anger rise within me at his audacity, at the way he seemed to revel in the chaos he had caused. But I held my tongue, knowing that lashing out would only escalate the situation further.

He pulled out his phone, his fingers moving with practiced ease as he searched for something. I watched him with