From Scandal Starlet to Vengeance Heiress, This Time, I Hold the Script - Chapter 8: Chapter 8

The detective handed me an envelope: "I found who you asked me to look for—the person who abandoned Bridget."
"Bridget's biological mother, Catherine Miller."
"Less than a month after Catherine abandoned Bridget, Richard adopted her."
Hearing this, Grandma clenched her fists tight and raged: "Outrageous! He clearly said his ex-wife was dead!"
"He obviously planned for his real daughter to take over everything that belonged to Serenity!"
The detective then pulled out copies of documents: "There's even more shocking news—Richard and Catherine were never actually divorced."
I quickly grabbed the copies.
The photos clearly showed Richard and Catherine together, except back then Richard was called Marcus Thompson.
To pursue my real mom, he first changed his name to Richard, then after marrying my mom, changed his surname again to Harrison.
I looked at Grandma with determination: "This is bigamy and marriage fraud. So his marriage to my mom was invalid!"
Grandma nodded through her tears: "Invalid is good! So good!"
The detective then produced several more photos: "I also found some pictures. They're a bit blurry, but after technical enhancement, we can make out the people in them."
He pointed to the driver in the photo: "This is Catherine, and the person in the passenger seat should be you."
I studied the photos carefully as hazy memories gradually surfaced.
The scene seemed to be from when I was six years old.
"I think that's me."
Grandma looked at the photo and choked up: "It is you, Serenity..."
This meant I was indeed deliberately lost by Richard, and he had dumped me with someone who would absolutely never betray him, someone who would absolutely never spill this secret—Catherine.
With the truth revealed, I immediately called the police.
At the same time, I gave copies of the evidence to a paparazzi contact.
Within hours, the whole internet knew about Richard's family's true colors, with people furiously commenting: "Son-in-law will stop at nothing to climb the social ladder! Even conspired with his wife to kidnap the real heiress!"
"That fake daughter had the nerve to make rules for Serenity! I'm so pissed!"
The director was so angry he worked all night getting body doubles to reshoot scenes, completely cutting Bridget from the show, and sent her a lawyer's letter demanding compensation for damages.
After leaving the detective's office, I took the evidence to a law firm in Los Angeles and hired a top attorney to sue Richard for bigamy and marriage fraud, arguing that his marriage to my mom was invalid.
When Jake found out, he came with gifts to beg me, his voice low: "Serenity, we're all family. There's no need for things to get this ugly."
I didn't hesitate to shut the door in his face: "So shameless! You've stolen the Harrison family name long enough—time to give it back!"
Remembering how he'd paid for bot armies to spread rumors when Bridget was slandering me in my past life, I felt nothing but hatred for him.
Within a week, police brought news that they'd caught Catherine.
She was a timid rural woman who thought confessing would protect her children.
But her confession only made the case for my mom's invalid marriage even stronger.
In the end, Richard was convicted of document forgery, bigamy, and marriage fraud, going from Mr. Harrison to a complete pariah that everyone despised.
Bridget constantly blamed Catherine for this: "Are you stupid?! Why did you confess?! Now we have nothing!"
"How did I end up with such a dumb mother! You should've just died in that fucking village!"
Hearing all this, Catherine cried her heart out.
I didn't know if it was regret or heartbreak, but none of it could compare to the pain my real mom felt losing her daughter.
So I could never find it in myself to pity them.
Grandma seized the opportunity to call a board meeting, stripped Richard and his son of all positions, and kicked them out of the company.
The legal department quickly uncovered evidence of their repeated embezzlement during their tenure. Father and son both ended up in prison.
Without the Harrison family's protection, Bridget couldn't survive in the entertainment industry.
She tried livestreaming but got banned due to user boycotts and reports.
I saw her again at the Golden Globe Awards ceremony.
Just as my mom personally handed me the Best Actress trophy, I caught a glimpse of her in the corner holding a drink tray.
When she saw me, she immediately threw down the tray, rushed onto the stage, and shouted: "She only got where she is through connections! Rebecca Stone is her mom!"
My mom just took the microphone and calmly responded: "Serenity is indeed my adoptive daughter, but she's never relied on me. Today's achievements are entirely her own!"
The audience immediately burst into applause.
Bridget's face turned red, and she grabbed the trophy to smash it over my head.
In that critical moment, my mom pushed me away and took the hit to her face, blood streaming down instantly.
Security rushed over and tackled Bridget.
And my mom was also immediately sent to the hospital.
Fortunately, it was just a surface wound.
But Bridget had broken the law.
Prison awaited her—she could look forward to a family reunion with her dad and brother behind bars!
Later, Grandma transferred Harrison Industries to my name, making me the Harrison family's sole heir.
To honor my real mom and Grandma, I balanced acting with studying business, feeling motivated about my future.
Meeting Richard's family was the great misfortune of my life.
Having a loving adoptive mother and grandmother was my greatest blessing.
You reap what you sow.
I truly believe everything was heaven's perfect arrangement!