Over the next weeks, Greg became more secretive, working late, hiding his phone, and changing his banking passwords. Eventually, I discovered a receipt for a $3,400 monthly rent payment for an apartment—at The Grand, a luxury high-rise. Shocked, I confronted Greg’s mother, Meryl, and learned that she had been living there, funded by Greg. He had been secretly prioritizing her comfort over his own daughter’s needs Furious,

I packed Greg’s things and asked him to leave. I enrolled Emily in preschool, and she flourished, but Greg’s absence was a constant ache. After two months, Greg came to apologize, admitting he had been manipulated by his mother and regretted his actions. He asked for a chance to rebuild our family, and though trust was broken, I agreed to start with small steps—dinner once a week.I made it clear that if he ever lied again, there wouldn’t be a second chance. He promised to rebuild our trust. Time would tell if he could truly change.