Female MC is pitiful but most times, she’s self-absorbed and deluded about giving up her first love. After such romantic disappointment (no surprise, largely due to poor communication, shallow trust, and selfish misogyny amidst manipulative plotting), she is cruel towards another pursuer who has been longing for her and offered to help her. MC is fortunate to have 1 sincere girlfriend who has been pivotal to her survival given MC is obstinate for years about avoiding any work career related to her education (which male lead was a constant presence), thus has to resort to menial jobs. Too haughty for office work but years slaving in a coffee shop is apparently fine and reasonable. Don’t fault her that her feelings aren’t quick to fade (even after years), but MC feebly puts up a tough front that ends up showing she is a moron, gullible, or weak-willed because she’s inconsistent to reality. The male lead is detestable for allowing his (now ex-) wife to suffer emotionally during marriage and even so far as to deceive or disregard MC during childbirth complications. Years later after divorcing, he continues to manipulate and coerce MC, often demeaning or shaming her but then awkwardly tries to protect and care for her when it’s critical. Little to no respect towards her concerns, dignity or hurt, nor any signs of remorse for past events. Not the most overbearing despot as a Male Lead but it’s disturbing to shape such a character as being ab appealing or admirable husband … Perhaps there’s some convoluted reasons he misled and hurt her during marriage, but what ego and distrust to not openly include the wife in such matters instead of hurting her heart than expecting/demanding her feelings to remain true. Or perhaps ML expects MC to keep blindly and faithfully following him despite suffering and disregard without any explanation nor reassurance, which makes him selfish, self-centred and egotistical.
Being manipulated or taken for granted is a lousy feeling, yet both MC and ML do this to some degree to each other. MC never seemed to respect or protect herself in the progress of her romantic pursuit and marriage, so now after divorce she attempts to be guarded in futile ways after re-encountering ML. Tenacity can be commendable but not to the point of debasing onself or disregarding one’s own esteem, yet it seems she placed ML as top priority regardless of herself and sought to please to catch and hold on to him, so is it any surprise he doesn’t consider her feelings nor respect in his actions after she repeatedly disregards herself to appease and cater to him? What respect can others have for you if you don’t cherish or respect yourself, even or especially when pursuing love.
It’s as if stories plots like these are trying to brainwash women to faithfully stick to their husband regardless of what they’ve done and even reconcile after separation. I am not refuting or opposing reconciliation, but i hate if it’s without any basis of remorse/apology, compromise, or good-faith for trust and transparency (no deceit or manipulation, reliable expectations for fidelity in both appearance and fact).
I gave 2nd star because the young boy seems iinteresting and cute who is likely MC’s own child that survived, though by ch.59 I have no idea. and of course ML let MC mourn her baby’s death and miss out on raising him, because why would he grant her the joy of motherhood and raising the bun from the start. Otherwise, 1 star for excessively melodramatic and infuriating characters.