I mean tge mother did try to run away and they hint her down. They dint seem to teach woman about current events, money or anything that would help them be independent. She even hoped that her already with child would let her go it didn't. The mother is a prisoner. Untill she saw that there is hope and other options, she didn't even talk much.
Meanwhile the man even doing the basics of keeping the house financially stable. Even if he had a son this family is going to fail
Considering the time and period, it made sense. Women didn't have that much freedom and options, and boys mostly take priority.
But considering on how Clarisse's family was going, even if there was a boy, they're still on their way to failure mostly with the "parenting" methods of the Father.
For Clarisse's family, does the four responses to danger fit them? Flee, Fight, Freeze, and Fawn?
I read the entire thing and I couldn't help but think that. Either way, it was a rather toxic situation...the Patriarch is a petty asshole who sees both his stepdaughter and biological daughter as tools (as you do in these type of settings) as well as punishing his unwilling wife by proxy by abusing both girls in different ways - extreme favoritism and isolation/golden child and scapegoat scenario- and as for the mother, while she does have a sympathetic backstory, she isn't' innocent either.
And considering how the truth came to be...well, I have a feeling that Matilda would face the reprocussions of such extremes after what she did to her supposed "father".
And as for the Merc in the latest chapter...what beef does he have on Best Boy?