How sad is it that "not the worst" is one of the best compliments we can give a manga in the Harlequin genre?
Super quick synopsis/spoilers (from P.O.V. of the FL):
1) It's true that I stole the money, but I had always planned on returning it - and it was way less than what the ML always allowed his other ex-lovers to take, so I thought he wouldn't mind; especially because I somehow thought we both had feelings for each other
2) I thought we had a special connection, but it turns out I was just a easy fling because I was "available" and he was super-willing to have me arrested for borrowing money without permission - now I'll never trust the ML again
3) Oh wait, so the only reason the ML treated me more horribly than any other woman he's been with is because he was in love with me, and afraid of being in love with his secretary because of his father - that means we really did have the special connection I thought we did after all when we slept together that one time!
4) Thank goodness; after all, I still love the ML who has been kind to me (most of the time) ever since having me arrested, and it turns out he loves me too after all - now I can trust him again, and we can get married!
Super cynical synopsis, I know - I actually was thinking of writing more, but I think this sums it up pretty well…! Seriously though, this actually wasn't such a bad story (as in, there are way worse MLs, and Harlequin stories in general - at least the ML works slowly to win her back again, and the FL doesn't just immediately forgive him). So yeah, give it a try - beware of the butler too though; both he and the ML do a total 180 and decide the FL is innocent after all when he finds the missing letter that she wrote!
One more thing: The majority of the responses here are agreeing that the ML is an idiot, and it's cool that the FL doesn't give in right away - but there are a couple of people saying things like the FL is an idiot. I can't respond to people's comments directly anymore (very sad about that…), but I just wanted to point out that:
1) Sirena does own up to the fact that she made a mistake, and doesn't try to make excuses for it (Sirena didn't even bring up the letter she wrote to the Raoul in court because she knows it doesn't change the fact that she took the money without permission). She also makes plans to pay back all the stolen money, which is what she had been planning to do in the first place anyways.
2) Yes, Sirena should have just woken up Raoul to get permission, but she didn't want to disturb him - which is sweet (but also stupid because she obviously hadn't confirmed that they were now in a mutual relationship…) - which is why she left him a note instead, believing that they had a close enough bond that he would be fine with that.
3) A very, VERY big theme with this whole "misunderstanding" is the fact that, while Sirena and Raoul have had a non-romantic relationship for 2 years, and she thought he trusted her, he in fact was willing to immediately throw her under the bus for making a mistake without talking to her first - whereas he has been more than happy to throw even more money after the women he's slept with in the past, even when they did steal from him as well. He completely obliterated any bond of trust with both that, and by telling her that there was no other reason for him to have slept with her than that she was available when he was free. As she pointed out later, he didn't even bother sending her the "usual" break-up card and flowers - he just treated her like trash. It's great that Sirena had a whole "Once bitten, twice shy" attitude with Raoul - even if she did eventually take him back in the end.
P.S. Can we all take a moment to appreciate the modern age where someone not only can have a butler, but said butler can send a picture of a note to you using a smartphone?!?!? (⌒▽⌒)
How sad is it that "not the worst" is one of the best compliments we can give a manga in the Harlequin genre?
Super quick synopsis/spoilers (from P.O.V. of the FL):
1) It's true that I stole the money, but I had always planned on returning it - and it was way less than what the ML always allowed his other ex-lovers to take, so I thought he wouldn't mind; especially because I somehow thought we both had feelings for each other
2) I thought we had a special connection, but it turns out I was just a easy fling because I was "available" and he was super-willing to have me arrested for borrowing money without permission - now I'll never trust the ML again
3) Oh wait, so the only reason the ML treated me more horribly than any other woman he's been with is because he was in love with me, and afraid of being in love with his secretary because of his father - that means we really did have the special connection I thought we did after all when we slept together that one time!
4) Thank goodness; after all, I still love the ML who has been kind to me (most of the time) ever since having me arrested, and it turns out he loves me too after all - now I can trust him again, and we can get married!
Super cynical synopsis, I know - I actually was thinking of writing more, but I think this sums it up pretty well…! Seriously though, this actually wasn't such a bad story (as in, there are way worse MLs, and Harlequin stories in general - at least the ML works slowly to win her back again, and the FL doesn't just immediately forgive him). So yeah, give it a try - beware of the butler too though; both he and the ML do a total 180 and decide the FL is innocent after all when he finds the missing letter that she wrote!
One more thing: The majority of the responses here are agreeing that the ML is an idiot, and it's cool that the FL doesn't give in right away - but there are a couple of people saying things like the FL is an idiot. I can't respond to people's comments directly anymore (very sad about that…), but I just wanted to point out that:
1) Sirena does own up to the fact that she made a mistake, and doesn't try to make excuses for it (Sirena didn't even bring up the letter she wrote to the Raoul in court because she knows it doesn't change the fact that she took the money without permission). She also makes plans to pay back all the stolen money, which is what she had been planning to do in the first place anyways.
2) Yes, Sirena should have just woken up Raoul to get permission, but she didn't want to disturb him - which is sweet (but also stupid because she obviously hadn't confirmed that they were now in a mutual relationship…) - which is why she left him a note instead, believing that they had a close enough bond that he would be fine with that.
3) A very, VERY big theme with this whole "misunderstanding" is the fact that, while Sirena and Raoul have had a non-romantic relationship for 2 years, and she thought he trusted her, he in fact was willing to immediately throw her under the bus for making a mistake without talking to her first - whereas he has been more than happy to throw even more money after the women he's slept with in the past, even when they did steal from him as well. He completely obliterated any bond of trust with both that, and by telling her that there was no other reason for him to have slept with her than that she was available when he was free. As she pointed out later, he didn't even bother sending her the "usual" break-up card and flowers - he just treated her like trash. It's great that Sirena had a whole "Once bitten, twice shy" attitude with Raoul - even if she did eventually take him back in the end.
P.S. Can we all take a moment to appreciate the modern age where someone not only can have a butler, but said butler can send a picture of a note to you using a smartphone?!?!? (⌒▽⌒)