Chapter 8
The private investigator called with an update, and I wasted no time grabbing Grandma Ruth and heading to his office.
He handed me an envelope.
“We’ve identified Nadia’s biological mother. Her name is Clara.”
“She abandoned Nadia less than a month after giving birth. Logan adopted her shortly after.”
Grandma’s fists clenched tightly, her voice trembling with rage.
“How dare he! He told us his first wife had passed away!”
“It’s obvious now,” she spat, “he planned this from the start. Bringing his own daughter into our family to steal everything meant for Jessica!”
The investigator placed another document on the desk.
“It gets worse. Logan and Clara were never divorced.”
I snatched the file and flipped through the pages.
It included damning evidence–photos of Logan and Clara together.
Back then, he’d gone by another name, Jonathan Drake, before changing it to Logan Harrington to marry my mom.
My voice was steady as I turned to Grandma.
“This is proof of bigamy and fraud. His marriage to my mom was never valid.”
Tears welled up in Grandma’s eyes, but she nodded firmly.
“Good. Let it be invalid. Let the courts tear him apart!”
The investigator pulled out another set of photos, slightly blurry but enhanced enough to make out the subjects. He pointed to one image.
“This is Clara. She’s driving. And the child in the passenger seat? That’s Jessica.”
I studied the photo, faint memories stirring.
The scene felt familiar, like something from when I was six years old. “It looks like me,” I whispered.
Grandma’s voice cracked as she stared at the picture.
“It is you, Jessica… Clara planned to take you away from us all along.”
With the truth in hand. I didn’t hesitate.
I called the police and handed over every shred of evidence.
I also gave a copy to a trusted journalist.
Within hours, the internet was ablaze.
“Gold–digging son–in–law kidnaps heiress to climb the social ladder!”
“Fake heiress dares to boss around the real daughter!”
“The audacity! Justice for Jessica!”
The backlash was relentless.
Even the director of Nadia’s movie decided he’d had enough.
He replaced her scenes with a body double and sent her a lawsuit demanding compensation for the production delays.
Armed with the evidence, I went straight to a lawyer.
I filed charges against Logan for bigamy and fraud, seeking to annul his marriage to my mother.
Ethan showed up at my door a few days later with a fruit basket, his tone unusually soft.
“Jessica, we’re family. There’s no need to take this so far.”
I shut him down without hesitation.
“Family? You’re not my brother. You’ve been stealing the Harrington name for long enough–it’s time to give it back.”
The memory of him funding online trolls to destroy my reputation in my past life was still fresh. All I felt for him
was contempt.
Within a week, the police arrested Clara.
She was a timid, defeated woman who thought confessing might somehow protect her children.
Her admission, however, only solidified the case against Logan.
The courts quickly ruled my mother’s marriage to him invalid.
Stripped of his title and wealth, Logán became a pariah.
Nadia, furious at Clara, screamed at her.
“You idiot! Why would you confess? We’ve lost everything because of you!”
“How could I have such a useless mother? You should’ve stayed in that village and rotted there!”
Nahorn Mu Family Tried to Bury Me. So I Burned It All Down!
Clara cried, though it was impossible to tell if it was from regret or heartbreak.
But her pain could never compare to what my mother endured after losing me.
I couldn’t bring myself to feel pity for them.
Grandma moved swiftly, convening the Harrington board of directors.
She fired Logan and Ethan from their positions and had them both removed from the company.
The legal team unearthed evidence of their embezzlement, leading to criminal charges.
Father and son were both sentenced to prison.
Without the Harringtons to shield her, Nadia’s acting career fell apart..
She tried to pivot to livestreaming, but public outrage and relentless reporting got her accounts banned.
The last time I saw her was at an awards ceremony.
My mom, Sophia, handed me my Best Actress trophy.
As I stood on stage, I caught sight of Nadia in the shadows, now a janitor cleaning the venue.
Seeing me, she suddenly charged onto the stage, screaming, “She’s nothing but a fraud! Her success is because of Sophia–her real mother!”
Sophia took the microphone, her composure unshaken.
“Jessica is indeed my adopted daughter, but every success she’s achieved is entirely her own. She earned this.”
The audience erupted into applause, leaving Nadia/humiliated.
Her face flushed red with anger, and in a fit of desperation, she grabbed the trophy and swung it at me.
Before it could hit, my mom pushed me aside.
The trophy struck her instead, and blood instantly poured down her face.
Security tackled Nadia to the ground as paramedics rushed my mom to the hospital. Fortunately, her injuries were
minor.
But Nadia had crossed a line.
This time, she wasn’t just a public disgrace–she was a criminal.
Jail awaited her, where she’d join her father and brother.
Not long after, Grandma transferred control of the Harrington Group to me.
I became the sole heir.
- JT. All Down!
To honor both my biological mother and Grandma, I split my time between acting and studying business, building a future filled with purpose and determination.
Meeting Logan and his family was the misfortune of my life.
But having the love of my adoptive mother and Grandma was my greatest blessing.
You reap what you sow. And I truly believe everything happens for a reason.
