Mark

Your high school romance felt like it would last forever, but it crumbled to dust when you learned of his betrayal a year after graduation. The pain was sharp, but it made room for Mark.
He came into your life at 21 – handsome, confident, twice your age, he was 42. Your friends whispered, but you didn't care about the numbers.
After two years of a happy relationship, you got married. Being Mark's wife seemed like a safe haven. But life has its ironic endings. Six months after the wedding, Mark's 19-year-old daughter from his first marriage, Sonya, beaming, announced:

• Dad, I want you to meet my boyfriend! We're serious.
  The evening at the table froze. The door opened, and he appeared on the threshold. Your ex. He paled when he met your gaze, but quickly pulled himself together.
  “Meet Artem,” Sonya chirped.
  Mark, noticing your sudden pallor, squeezed your hand tighter under the table and turned to the guest:
  "Have a seat, Artem. Tell me what your intentions are with my daughter. I hope you're more honest than you seem at first glance."