While I was busy with work, I had hired someone to conduct an investigation into Henry.
In my previous life, his sudden reappearance after Ethan's rooftop drama had raised my suspicions.
The results came in swiftly: Henry's company was on the verge of bankruptcy. His new wife, Olivia, who was pregnant, berated him daily, blaming him for giving me the house in the divorce settlement.

Back then, it was Henry's infidelity that led to our split. Since I wasn't involved in his business affairs, I had no idea that he had transferred most of our marital assets beforehand.
After years of marriage, all I was left with was a mortgaged house.
But life is full of unexpected twists.
Due to urban development, the value of that house had skyrocketed, and it was now situated in a prime commercial area.
Meanwhile, Henry's business had collapsed, and he couldn't even pay his workers.
His once - arrogant demeanor had turned pathetic.

He and Olivia hatched a scheme to reclaim the house. They quietly contacted Ethan, using small bribes and empty promises to manipulate him into turning against me.
I saved all the evidence, waiting for the right moment to use it.
The phone went silent. As I was about to hang up, Ethan's voice turned icy. "You care so little about money that you'd risk my life?"
Another rooftop stunt.

Tears welled up in my eyes. "Ethan, I've raised you alone with limited resources, unlike your dad's wealth. But he hasn't paid child support in years, leaving you without those exam gifts. I'll contact a lawyer to demand what he owes. I'll try my best to fulfill your wishes, no matter what."
"No, why involve Dad?"
I hung up before he could finish.
There was no time to waste - I was going to take control of the narrative.
I posted on social media: "I want to fulfill my son's post - exam wish list, but my ex - husband has vanished and never paid child support. Any advice? I'm worried Ethan will feel inferior or desperate."
I attached his list, highlighting the $70,000 total in bold.
The post quickly gained traction:
"What's with these kids' materialism? What family spends 70,000ongraduationgifts?Whentheystartearning3,000 a month, they'll learn how tough life can be."
"You just graduated, not ascended to royalty. What kind of scores justify demanding Apple gadgets from a single mom?"
"If he's that fragile, he's too weak. Is an adult crying over red lights next?"
"Does no one notice the dad's absence? No support, no money, just gone. I bet he's got a new kid and ditched this one."
"Good point. Let's dig deeper - maybe he cheated, which is why they got divorced."
I pinned the last comment.
The thread exploded:
"She's confirming he cheated? That scumbag cheats and then skips out on support - disgusting."
"Bad genes breed bad kids. This son doesn't care about his mom's struggles, demanding $70,000. Why doesn't he just ask his deadbeat dad?"
"I bet if the dad dangles a bribe, this kid will turn on his mom in a heartbeat."
Netizens had sharp insights - why hadn't I seen it in my previous life?
Just like before, the story snowballed and reached peak virality.
But this time, the trend was "materialism must stop," not "don't have kids if you're poor."
As I was about to shut my laptop and go to sleep, the police called.
Ethan was on the rooftop again, live - streaming his planned jump.