It Was Her Ex-Husband
That man, Bertrand Putnam, used to be her husband at one time. Not only that: he was also the father of her children. But they were too young to remember. But Sandie did remember.
She remembered how difficult life was with that man. He was an alcoholic, a gambler, and a cheater. He never put his hands on her, but she left her psychologically scarred for life.