The guy was filled with lies and, as it turns out, a violently abusive drunk. As I probably already told you but maybe not, the best call I ever made was taking the hand with which my ex reached out for help. I paid for her flight from California to New York. Had I not done that I am sure she would have loaded the kids into the car and put as many miles between her and that sick bastard (may he burn in Hell) as possible and I would never have heard from them again.
As it is she hid the extent of his abuse from me. I only learned about it a few years ago from my son.
When we were visiting them, as in my wife, daughter, and her partner visiting my son, his wife, and my stepson, this June my natural son was appalled that his mother had waited until she was on her death bed to tell me. Well I asked her about what my son had told me and she confirmed it, which is different from her telling me.
I wrote about her death extensively so this is all old news to you.