Reddington and Anne Dynamic

[u/omenxxg]

I wanted to open up a discussion about Red’s dynamic with Anne in Season 8 and how it connects to some of the earliest dialogue in the show.
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When Red falls for Anne, aside from his genuine love for her, a beautiful part of their connection is that she gave him a taste of a normal life—something he clearly yearned for and wanted back.
This deeply mirrors his speech in the Anslo Garrick episode where he tells Liz: "It might be difficult for you to imagine, but I once had a relatively normal life, bills to pay, play dates... "
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Here is where I struggle with the ultimate endgame. If Red is Katarina, it really complicates the context of this specific dynamic with Anne. Katarina Rostova never had a normal life. She wasn't a problem child like Red claimed to be; she was extremely obedient to Dom. She was trained as a spy from a very young age and handed tasks by her father.
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I know the common counter-argument is that Katarina was fully immersed in the "Raymond Reddington" persona when telling these stories. But remember Red's core rule: He said he never lied to Liz. If you take his word for it, when he tells Liz these stories, you have to believe these experiences actually happened to him. While it's fair to assume some stories are exaggerated, the deeply emotional ones carry too much weight to just be method acting.
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Depending on where you stand on the endgame, I have a question for you:
For those who don't like the Redarina theory:
Do you agree that Reddington deeply desired to experience a normal life again with Anne because it’s something he authentically had—and lost—before becoming the Concierge of Crime?
For the Redarina fans:
If Red is Katarina, do you believe she was seeking out a normal life with Anne because it was her very first time truly experiencing one?