"When your dad cheated on me with Olivia, he spent two years hiding marital assets under her name. They're married now - her property is his, including that new lakeside house."
Ethan's voice trembled with barely contained excitement. "I knew Dad had money. There's no way those workers could ever get the upper hand over him. He's got a financial backup."
He hung up the phone, over the moon.

What a hopeless case.
I ignored their ongoing drama and threw myself into my work.
Years ago, when I used to help Henry with real estate bids, it had honed my instincts. I set my sights on a mid - sized local firm.
The summer heat scorched the construction sites, and the air hung thick and heavy.
We braved the sweltering conditions, inspecting projects, refining our plans late into the night, and seamlessly blending the strengths of each site with the company's vision.
We won the bid and signed major deals in record time - a first for the company.

Our team's bonuses tripled. When I saw the bank alert, tears welled up in my eyes.
Fighting for myself was this incredibly fulfilling.
I sank into deep reflection.
As an orphan, I had often felt forgotten, lost in the vast wilderness of time, numb to both joy and purpose.

Until our dean had us plant a seed. One day, it sprouted, thriving on the nourishment of sunlight and rain.
That burst of life shocked me.
From then on, growth became my beacon of hope.
I studied with unwavering determination, with the dawn's dew and the starry nights as silent witnesses to my sweat and toil.
I became the first from the orphanage to gain admission to an Ivy League university, topping the city's rankings.
Born on the cliffs of adversity, I bloomed without the protection of a greenhouse.
I had been vibrant, radiant.
How could I ever abandon that vibrant self for such unworthy people?
My reverie was shattered when Ethan called me, his voice filled with anger and fear. "Mom, come to the hospital. It's a murderous situation!"
When I arrived, I found Henry in the emergency room. Ethan ran up to me, desperate. "Mom, Olivia and Simon are evil. They stole Dad's money and cheated on him."
Simon, Henry's long - time aide, had risen from being a mere assistant to a project lead.
Olivia and Simon had been lovers even before Henry came into the picture, and they had been scheming during her affair with him. Simon had suggested transferring our marital assets to Olivia.
Henry, being too busy, had never noticed a thing. His leg injury and his quick discharge from the hospital had raised his suspicions.
Back at home, Olivia claimed that the doctors had advised rest, saying that he would heal in a few months. She pushed to transfer the new house to her brother to avoid any potential asset freezes.
Normally, Henry would have complied without a second thought, but now he was starting to have doubts.
When Ethan demanded the house, Olivia got into a heated argument with him. Henry, on crutches, tried to intervene and then fainted.
Later, he overheard Olivia and Simon: