Too naïve and full of illusions to see the hidden motives of Natalie Evangelista's mother, who wants Paul's wealth in order to procure for her daughter the lavish lifestyle she believes to be her birthright, or to recognize that his bride's loyalty is entirely with her mother and not with him, Paul gets himself stuck in a frigid and childless marriage. So strong are his illusions, that even at the end of the novel he remains unaware of his wife's infidelities.
Paul is overly trusting and deceived by his mother-in-law's intentions, who wants wealth for her daughter and prioritizes her relationship with her child over her husband. This leads to a cold and childless marriage, where Paul remains unaware of his wife's unfaithfulness until the end of the novel.