```ruby
class ViewModel
  class DeserializeContext
    attr_accessor :updated_associations, :parent_ref

    def initialize(parent_ref: nil)
      self.parent_ref = parent_ref
    end

    def for_child(parent)
      self.dup.tap do |copy|
        copy.parent_ref = parent.to_reference
      end
    end
  end
end
```

Store ancestor tree in deserialize context rather than just reference to immediate parent.
user
```ruby
class ViewModel
  class DeserializeContext
    attr_accessor :updated_associations, :parent_context, :parent_viewmodel

    def initialize(*)
    end

    def parent(idx = 0)
      if idx == 0
        parent_viewmodel
      else
        parent_context&.parent(idx - 1)
      end
    end

    def parent_ref(idx = 0)
      parent(idx)&.to_reference
    end

    def for_child(parent_viewmodel)
      self.dup.tap do |copy|
        copy.parent_context   = self
        copy.parent_viewmodel = parent_viewmodel
      end
    end

    private :parent_context, :parent_viewmodel
  end
end
```
assistant