
I'm not understanding of how this story took such a terrible turn. The brother was raping women, the daddy and brother abusing the daughter. This man desperately wanting the fl to the point of insanity. Then the funny part is if he killed the brother, why not runaway then? Why is this dragging on? It's a bunch of unnecessary things that don't add up and it's becoming annoying.

it's kind of been explained. the father has debts and is basically owned by the count. bc he's dead it's now his children that have that burden.
Etienne has incredible trauma and is now after everything in a place he feels "safe" and he hesitated to leave. that hesitation made the count able to make this move.
it's human arrogance and trauma. honestly it's more realistic it would happen this way and I'm curious how far it'll go and how it'll end

I'm actually glad he saw her and told her what she needs to hear. He's a true friend to her but also someone who has to do his job. I don't think Maxi realizes the real way war works and I know all y'all want her to "make her mark" and become the strong woman that she needs to be but, this wasn't it. I wished she would've steered clear of the war but it's a fictional story and I guess it makes for more excitement.
Not in a good way like it's exciting or anything. In the sense that it's so downtrodden and unbearable to read. Rape,abuse and just idiocy has made this so unreadable. When I see a new chapter pop up, I cringe cause I know it's gonna be some depressing crap. Ugh