Honestly, don't let the good art fool you.. ML is an asshole and the FL indeed deserves better. Also, do they not consider the age gaps at all??? She's mentally older and even currently older than that bastard.. so why are they pushing romance like this?
It is SA but due to being a spy or whatever agent they are if she indeed got capture by enemy, they will do anything to make her talk. His doing it to make her realize how dangerous it will be if she stay for work.
Plot needed for the story, his doing it to make her quit and make her realize how dangerous the work she wanted to be a part just to find her husband. He makes sense by doing it if you think about it.
Everytime I read a similar genre like this, it makes me motivated to become an actress LMFAO