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All Chapters of I Ruined My Grandfather's Perfect Family: Chapter 1 - Chapter 8

8 Chapters

Chapter 1

The smile froze on Natalie's face."What did you say?"I closed the file and raised my voice just enough for everyone in the room to hear. "I said you didn't get the job."The other interviewers exchanged uneasy glances. The attorney seated to my left leaned toward me and lowered his voice."Ms. Sutton, she's only 20, and she's already won the National College Moot Court Championship. She's published six papers in major national legal journals and is one of the most promising candidates we've seen this year. Maybe you should reconsider."He spoke quietly, but the conference room was so silent that Natalie heard every word. Her back straightened as she stared at me, disbelief spreading across her face."I've made my decision."I pushed her résumé aside."Ms. Natalie Collins, we won't be hiring you. Please leave."For a moment, no one moved. The room seemed to hold its breath.Then the disbelief on Natalie's face gave way to anger. She planted both hands on the table and stood.

Chapter 2

I calmly finished reviewing the three candidates' files before returning to my work. A few minutes later, there was a knock at the door. Nathaniel walked in, his usual confident posture replaced by a noticeably deferential one as he ushered an elderly woman into my office with exaggerated courtesy."Ms. Sutton, this is Ms. Elise Caldwell, Natalie's grandmother."He gave me a pointed warning look before quietly closing the door behind him.I looked up.The woman was dressed in an elegant navy-blue dress, her silver-gray hair perfectly styled, with a pair of gold-rimmed glasses resting neatly on the bridge of her nose. She was well into her 70s, yet her face was remarkably smooth, with barely a wrinkle in sight.She had clearly taken excellent care of herself."Ms. Sutton."She sat across from me with the effortless arrogance of someone who had spent her entire life accustomed to getting what she wanted."My granddaughter wants to intern at your firm. I'd appreciate it if you c

Chapter 3

That evening, I walked into an old coffeehouse where Daniel was waiting for me in a rosewood armchair. He was older now, heavier than he had been in the photographs, and dressed in an immaculate suit, but I recognized him instantly.That face. Those brows.They were exactly the same as the face I'd been staring at in an old photograph for the past 30 years."Prof. Collins." I sat down across from him. He took a slow sip of his coffee before looking up at me."Ms. Sutton, I've looked into you. You're a young woman who made her way out of the backcountry and built a career for herself. That's quite impressive."His voice was calm and measured, carrying the effortless confidence of a man who had spent decades surrounded by power and influence."I came from the backcountry myself, so I know how difficult that journey can be."He poured another cup of coffee and pushed it toward me. "Whatever your concerns may be, I'm confident Natalie meets your standards. If you're willing to m

Chapter 4

The next morning, the press conference started right on schedule. The firm's conference room had been completely transformed for the occasion, with a red banner stretched across the front of the room that read, "Integrity in Hiring, Excellence in Practice." Nathaniel and the other two interviewers sat at the front, while Daniel and Elise took their places in the reserved guest seats, with Natalie seated between them. Nearly every major media outlet covering the legal community was in attendance. Two rows of cameras lined the room, their lenses trained on the stage, while livestream equipment hummed in the background, red recording lights already glowing.Downstairs, I sat alone in the coffee shop and pulled out my phone. The livestream was already underway. Nathaniel straightened his suit jacket and adjusted his tie before stepping up to the podium. He waited for the room to settle, then looked directly into the cameras. "Thank you to everyone in the media for joining us today

Chapter 5

Natalie's face froze for a split second. Then she frowned, her eyes still rimmed with red."Ms. Sutton, there has to be a limit to how far you'll go just to target me! Don't you think publicly smearing me is taking things a little too far?"I looked at her and kept my voice calm. "Ms. Collins, everyone says you're an outstanding student. So, let me ask you something. Those six papers you published in top-tier national law journals—where did the arguments, legal theories, and citations come from? Which books? Which cases?"Natalie opened her mouth, and a flicker of panic crossed her eyes. But she quickly regained her composure."Ms. Sutton, I'm not going to fall into your trap and prove your accusations for you."Another wave of cheers erupted in the livestream comments, with viewers praising Natalie for keeping her cool under pressure. I simply nodded and took two more steps toward her. "In that case, I'll explain it to you. "During your freshman year, you bought a research

Chapter 6

Daniel's expression flickered for a split second, the corners of his mouth pulling downward. But he quickly regained his composure and looked at me solemnly."Ms. Sutton, I have no idea what my family has ever done to offend you. Why would you fabricate all of this just to smear us? You claim I abandoned my wife and daughter, but everyone knows that my wife, Elise Caldwell, and I have been devoted to each other for 50 years.""Elise Caldwell?" I cut him off, pointing to the woman sitting beside him. "Are you talking about her? Or are you talking about the Elise Caldwell you abandoned in that remote backcountry?"The entire room fell silent. The corner of Daniel's mouth twitched. Rose Bennett, the real name of the woman who had been passing herself off as Elise Caldwell, shot to her feet so abruptly that her chair flew backward and slammed into the leg of the table behind her. "What the hell are you talking about? How could you make up lies about us? What exactly are you trying

Chapter 7

My mother's back was hunched, and although she was only in her early 50s, most of her hair had already turned white. She carried a black box in her arms, with a photograph attached to the lid. Inside was my grandmother's urn.She walked slowly toward the stage, one step at a time, until she finally stopped and lifted her head to look at Daniel. The resemblance was unmistakable. Her face was almost a mirror image of his. The entire room fell silent. No one spoke. No one even seemed willing to breathe. The only sound was the growing chorus of camera shutters as reporters captured every second. Then my mother raised the document in her hand. It was her birth certificate. The information printed on it was unmistakable. Year of birth: 1976. The same year Daniel had left the place. Date of birth: June 13. The exact date written in Daniel's letters. Daniel's body trembled. His face went rigid as he stared at the certificate. Then he staggered backward, as if the truth had str

Chapter 8

The sound of police sirens rose from the street below, growing louder as they approached. Moments later, two police officers entered the conference room."Daniel Collins, Rose Bennett, you're being investigated on suspicion of identity fraud and violating another person's legal rights. Please come with us to assist with the investigation." Handcuffs snapped around Daniel's wrists. As the officers led him away, he suddenly turned back and looked at the urn in my mother's arms."I'm sorry… Elise. I'm sorry…" he sobbed. The apology he'd owed her for 50 years had finally been spoken, but my grandmother could no longer hear it. Then again, it didn't matter anymore. I'd settled the score. …That evening, Westbridge University released an official statement announcing that Daniel had been permanently dismissed from his position for identity fraud, academic misconduct, and abusing his authority to suppress student complaints. All of his honorary titles were revoked, and the matter w

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