I gasped, feigning utter shock. "You can't even pay your workers for six months, yet you're planning to send him abroad? To where, exactly?"
Henry froze on the spot.
Ethan pressed on, his voice filled with hurt. "Dad, you said we'd take Mom's house and then send me abroad. Were you lying? My friends had to take tests for studying abroad, but I didn't even have to. Why lie to me?"

I sighed. "This house, even if sold, wouldn't be enough to cover your dad's project debts, let alone pay his workers' wages or fund your studies."
Ethan, feeling utterly betrayed, grabbed Henry's sleeve. "Dad, you said I'd stage the jump to teach Mom a lesson, and then we'd take the house to fund my studies. How could you break your word?"
I drew in a sharp breath. "The jump was staged?"
Henry, sweating profusely, shoved Ethan away. "It was your idea, not mine! You useless fool, can't even pull off something like this right."
Then he softened his tone. "I promised, and I'll deliver. Nothing's more important than your future. Don't let your mom drive a wedge between us. Without this house, how am I supposed to fund your studies?"
Ethan wavered, glancing back and forth between us, and ultimately sided with Henry.

What a hopeless fool.
Henry, emboldened by Ethan's support, smirked. "You know my situation. You'll pay for Ethan's studies. No money? Then transfer the house. I'll take care of it."
I let out a laugh. "With all your debts, how do I know you'd use the money for him and not for yourself?"
Henry, sensing a sign of weakness, grinned. "For Ethan, of course. My company's doing just fine. For his future, I'd sacrifice anything."

"If that's the case, then why don't you sell the house you bought last year?"
His eyes widened in surprise. "How did you - "
He cut himself off, panicked.
"You used the workers' wages to speculate on real estate. Don't you have a conscience? You'd do something like that, but you won't even spare a dime for Ethan's tuition?"
"This is my house, and I won't sell it. You never paid a cent in child support, so you cover his college expenses."
Grant stepped in and spoke. "Staging a jump like that violates public safety laws. We'll report it, and you'll face detention. This house belongs to Ms. Young and has nothing to do with others. Any attempt to coerce her into selling it, and we'll report that too."
"Ethan's custody is yours, Mr. Walsh. Now, leave at once."
At the mention of "report," Henry's deflated like a punctured balloon.
Ethan, thrilled at the prospect of luxury condos, followed his dad out the door.