DINGDINGDING WE HAVE SOMEONE WITH GOOD BRAIN TO THINK THOROUGH!
I've read the novel until some faraway chapters ahead, and yes you're right about this and if you add reading the Riftan's POV, you would also understand why he "that" obsessed with Maxi. Even at the last novel's chapter I've read, the miscommunication is still strong af, but Maxi also gained more confidence in herself. Spoilers below v
(SPOILERS: Maxi is the reason of Riftan's will of life and he has been obsessed with her from young age, like his whole life!!)
Tbh after reading the novel and riftan's POV ik even more weirded out by him.
I get why he acts the way he does but for me it seems like he has an image of maxi that he is obsessed with and refuses to see maxi for who she actually is.
He wants her to conform to his image of her which hurts maxi cuz she knows shes not like that and rlly sets her back.
The people who contributed to maxi's development are mainly ruth and agnes.
that's where it's interesting tbh, that by this Riftan slowly learn to know about his wife and also himself more. He's by far from perfect, like all the people around him called. I do not think what he do is right in anyway, but with his past shown, I actually can see why he's that braindead.
I rather like that Maxi development isn't depends of Riftan, but by herself connecting with other people, and slowly gaining her independence. As for Riftan, he also learning in a more slower pace to see Maxi as the way she is...
all I can see is that they grow with each other, not like Riftan's the perfect one and Maxi's not or the other way around. Like it can be resolved if Maxi's just tell Riftan about her past, but that wont be easy too considering her past. But also that's how Riftan grow up too, (spoiler ahead).... he has to work from a young age, have to deal with the absence of a mother that also neglect him for her faraway past glory, and seeing her su!c!de, making him traumatized to have a decent relationship with any girl beside Maxi who gives him hope to live... getting sexval harrasment, because his handsomeness from any girls around and actually giving him a false perception about how sex works(╯°Д °)╯╧╧
BOYYYY, you have to go the therapist ASAP.
(and here comes Ruth to save the day, love him so much for making Riftan actually a little bit not gloomier, from when he met him for the first time LOL)
Y’all being hard on Riftan but forget that to the kingdom she was the dukes precious daughter that he kept away to protect her (obviously not true, but she hasn’t told him shit cuz she’s scared to disappoint him). He’s just trynna do his best by giving her the life he thinks she had. He told her not to leave their room cuz she got hurt & he thinks it’s his fault. He probably thinks he’s still not good enough for her, she could have been a duchess/princess but she was married off to him, someone who was poor & not a noble (if I remember correctly). She wouldn’t have been hurt or in danger if she wasn’t married to him. That’s why he works so hard, for her. He has always been so sweet & attentive . Like when he asked her if she wanted to host a ball or nearby nobles cuz he saw how happy she was at the festival.
It’s their communication they need to work on