Esther had imagined having children when she first married Arthur, picturing a family that would complete her and fill her life with joy. But the reality of her marriage to him had been far from those dreams. Arthur had treated her with indifference, sometimes even cruelty, making her feel unworthy and trapped.
The idea of bringing a child into that world back then had terrified her—she couldn't bear the thought of raising a child in an environment so cold and loveless.
