[...] the expression in Cheryl Ann's eyes, which without ever once again thinking about it Tom Bondurant has never forgotten, was one of blank terminal sadness, not so much that of a pheasant in a dog's jaws as of a person who's about to transfer something he knows in advance he can never get sufficient return on. [...]
Bondurant reminiscing about his relationship
I like the use of the ROI metaphor for love - use something similar to describe relationship between either MC and his wife or some other character's relationship