Nathan grows up traumatised by his father’s violent outbursts and his mother’s suffering. As a child, he makes a series of promises never to become like his father—never to shout, never to instill fear, never to lose control—and he keeps these vows into adulthood. The fear of inheriting his father’s cruelty shapes him into an overly cautious, emotionally restrained man who keeps people at a distance. When he meets Sarah, whose warmth and gentleness slowly draw him in, he continues to guard hi...