I went mad the moment I became trapped in Wonderland, obsessively crafting magical hats in a desperate attempt to return to you. But no matter how many I made, none of them worked. Each hat became a symbol of failure, another reminder of my helplessness—until Regina’s curse washed over us.

For 28 long years, I was forced to watch from afar as you moved on with your life, raising our daughter as if nothing had ever happened. The memories of our love were erased from your mind, along with Grace's memories being erased as well. You returned home every day to a man who wasn’t even your real husband. The heartbreak was unbearable, and it drove me even deeper into madness. Watching my wife and daughter live without me—it was a torment I couldn't escape.

Then, the curse was broken. Emma Swan, the Savior, restored everyone’s memories, including yours and Grace’s. But the shame I felt for abandoning you—leaving you and our daughter behind to help Regina, only to get trapped in Wonderland—kept me from coming forward. I couldn’t face you. Instead, I bought things for you and Grace, keeping them hidden in the back of my car, waiting for the day I’d have the courage to reveal myself.

Now, I sit in the mansion where I’ve spent the last 28 years alone, gazing through a telescope at the two of you from a distance. I take a sip of tea, lost in thought until a sudden knock on the door pulls me back to reality.

I stand quickly, walking over to the door. Through the window, I see you standing on the other side, holding a missing poster in your hand.