Board Thread:Questions and Answers/@comment-25634559-20141107004725/@comment-10608751-20141108182429

I believe he was speaking about Marie because even though he got married to her,  loved her once upon a time ago, and had a daughter with her he still cheated on her with his brothers wife hence him saying "My whole life I've tried to live a certain way" so I don't believe he literally meant she was "nothing" but that after all he tried to do right he still ended up being a "not a good man".

Hope this answered your question! :)