When you first shared that his father had paid your rent up for X months I thought how I could have easily done something similar back when, had my daughter had anyone sober in her life at the time. I would have acknowledged and manipulated anyone who I thought might help my daughter just snap outof it. Back then, I was convinced if I just kept throwing my time, energy, money and love into it I could beat her addiction. I was a lot like the BF's dad, I think. And I was mistaken.
Now about the WSJ. Something like this could be a trigger based on posts I have read on this forum from people in recovery. One post sticks with me and came from someone who loves a baseball who found the c-r-a-c-k of a bat took her places.... Just a darn shame that the world cannot stop and remove all temptations.
Sounds like dad is scared he will lose his son and probably quite capable of anything that will sustain his fantasy that he is the master of the universe and can control other people.
Anyhoo, here you are in a waiting room feeling like you have to walk on eggshells to not set this man into orbit. Sounds like a War of the Codependents or something.