“Before I met my ex-wife, your mom and I . . . we dated for a while.” He nearly chokes on the words and a familiar coldness forms in his eyes. “I had no idea that Nora was your mom until the night that you called me for help. When I saw her in that state, I thought it was God's cruel way of punishing me for something that I've done in the past. As if losing her all those years ago wasn't punishment enough.”
