وَمَا أُبَرِّىءُ نَفْسِي ...

And, verily, Allah guides not the plot of the betrayers. And I free not myself (from the blame).

She said, `I do not exonerate myself from blame, because the soul wishes and lusts, and this is what made me seduce him,'

for,

... إِنَّ النَّفْسَ لأَمَّارَةٌ بِالسُّوءِ إِلاَّ مَا رَحِمَ رَبِّيَ ...

Verily, the (human) self is inclined to evil, except when my Lord bestows His mercy (upon whom He wills).

whom Allah the Exalted wills to grant them immunity,

... إِنَّ رَبِّي غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ ﴿٥٣﴾

Verily, my Lord is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

This is the most viable and suitable understanding for the continuity of the story and the meanings of Arabic speech.

Al-Mawardi mentioned this in his Tafsir, in support of it, it was also preferred by Imam Abu Al-Abbas Ibn Taymiyyah who wrote about it in detail in a separate work.

It was said Yusuf peace be upon him is the one who said,

ذَلِكَ لِيَعْلَمَ أَنِّي لَمْ أَخُنْهُ ...

in order that he (the Aziz) may know that I betrayed him not, (with his wife), بِالْغَيْبِ in (his) absence. until the end of Ayah (53)

He said, `I sent back the emissary, so that the king would investigate my innocence and the Aziz be certain that, أَنِّي لَمْ أَخُنْهُ (I betrayed him not), with his wife, بِالْغَيْبِ وَأَنَّ اللّهَ لاَ يَهْدِي كَيْدَ الْخَائِنِينَ (in (his) absence. And, verily, Allah guides not the plot of the betrayers).'

This is the only explanation presented by Ibn Jarir At-Tabari and Ibn Abi Hatim, but the first view is stronger and more obvious because it is a continuation of what the wife of the Aziz said in the presence of the king.

Yusuf was not present at all during this time, for he was released later on and brought to the king by his order.