Chapter 118: The Kingdom Built on Sand

Time was running out before the week ended, so the next day I double-checked my preparations and requested a private audience with Grandfather in the evening. I wheeled him from his bedroom to the study, helped him onto the sofa. He looked startled by my grave mood but secretly pleased.

“So, my eldest grandson. What’s the rush? Finally ready to take the company seriously?”

I gazed at his off-topic hope, then laid the documents before him one by one: paternity tests for Seunghee, Doyoon, and me.

Deep breath.

“Please look at these.”

“Hm? What’s this? My eyes are worse these days…”

He fumbled for his glasses. I slowly knelt. No way to sugarcoat a bomb. He stared, shocked.

“Another accident?”

“I’m sorry. I’m not your blood.”

“What?”

He looked like he’d heard a bad joke. Paused mid-glasses.

“You’re still sick. Aftereffects must be bad.”

“…Remember Noh Jae-sik, the kidnapper? He’s my real father.”

Grandfather’s face twisted oddly. He stared, then pressed the table button for Manager Jo. She entered instantly.

“Yes, Chairman.”

“Call the doctor. Seunghyun’s not well.”

Manager Jo startled seeing me kneeling, then composed herself.

“Understood.”

Watching her bow out, I sighed briefly. Whole house will know soon. I steadied my expression, calmer than ever.

“I’m not sick. Noh told me during the kidnapping. After noona was born, Mom struggled with in-law coldness—he seduced her. That’s how I was born. I tested—it’s true.”

I mixed truth and lies appropriately. Grandfather’s face darkened.

“…Mom hid it all this time.”

He hastily put on glasses, scanned. Seunghee: 99.9% both parents. Doyoon: 99.9% Father. And…

“Sample 1 Choi Seunghyun hair DNA vs. Sample 2 Choi Young-gil hair DNA: 99.9998% no paternity…?”

His voice shook.

Next page: Noh Jae-sik’s old test from 24 years ago—via Hyung-ju—proving he was my father. Made secretly before leaving when I was ten.

Grandfather reread the line endlessly, then stared blankly.

“What is this…?”

“Father found out recently. He’s threatening Mom—give everything and leave. No divorce on paper, raise me as his. Keep it from you.”

Grandfather looked dazed. Too much for an old man—but better than losing his son. My hands clenched on my thighs.

“And Noh… Father killed him.”

“…”

“He tried extorting Father with this. Father heard, then cleaned him up.”

“I… don’t understand…”

He looked lost. Silence. The study clock ticked loudly. Finally, he spoke, face hard:

“If true… why tell me?”

What do you gain exposing this? Businessman to the core—recovered fast. I admired inwardly, then cut to the core.

“I want you to help Mom and Father mutually divorce.”

His brow furrowed deep. Now he looked at me like an alien—sharp, scary gaze I’d never seen.

“Why would I?”

“Mom’s affair was wrong—but so was Father’s. Unfair for one to lose everything. Clean split, no touching assets—most rational.”

Grandfather fully composed. Low voice:

“Get out.”

I bit my lip, bowed my head.

“Can’t. Promise to help the divorce.”

“If this is real—!”

Papers slashed the air, raining like blades over my head. An impossibly loud roar for an old man:

“You have no right to be here!”

Then, pale, muttering:

“Lie… dare deceive me…?”

Anger built slowly as comprehension hit.

“Dare…?”

His face twisted—rage, injustice, absurdity, outrage.

“I raised someone else’s blood as eldest grandson? No—impossible. You’re wrong. Retest.”

“…Same result a hundred times.”

“Hah! Not even sorry?!”

I stayed kneeling, eyes down. Nothing to say. Not my fault.

“Stay in your room till I call! Don’t come out!”

He looked near collapse—anger lagged. But I knew he wouldn’t faint. Most health-obsessed in the house. Veins bulged at his temples as he pointed.

“Out now! Can’t stand the sight! Help with divorce? You should be begging for your own mercy—!”

“Won’t leave till you promise…”

Somehow my calm fueled his fury. He gripped his cane, stood shakily. Glared, bellowed:

“Never! Whatever Young-gil does is right. If true, your mother leaves with nothing!”

Sudden rage and injustice flooded me. I rose slowly—now looking down slightly. Swallowed hard, low voice:

“…Then why never stop Father?”

“What?”

“You knew he cheated—said nothing. Doyoon’s mom was a victim too.”

“Men and women aren’t the same!”

I finally yelled:

“That’s why noona lives tiptoeing for your approval!”

“What?”

“Trapped here craving your praise—didn’t know? Same for Doyoon. Call him ‘outside child,’ act like registering him was a huge favor. Think he doesn’t know?”

Emotion crept in.

“And me? Did you love me? Or just the eldest grandson? If noona were a boy, would she get even a quarter of this attention? If you knew I wasn’t blood—would you treat me better than Doyoon?”

Mid-rant, realization hit: Original Seunghyun thought this since age ten.

Even I, nine years in this body, felt it. He must’ve been far more insecure. My vision blurred hot, but my voice grew firmer.

“‘Cultivate self, regulate family, govern state, pacify world’? You failed the family part. Built a great company—your household is a mess. No harmony here!”

Grandfather looked shell-shocked. Me defying him—dreamlike. His cane hand trembled. He roared:

“You dare… think you can stay after this?!”

“No, probably not. But help the divorce—I’ll leave with nothing. No inheritance for a fake grandson anyway. Already kicking out the daughter-in-law who gave you a granddaughter.”

I didn’t back down. And thought:

f*ck… actually saying I’ll leave penniless.

All my hoarding… for this? Laughed at myself mid-chaos. Then drove the nail:

“I have zero interest in a seat in the kingdom you built.”