And the person who can & should do something, is doing nothing

Yah know, I have a sinking feeling that Lumiere's smiling face w/love is biased / just how others perceive it & it isn't how she really feels (maybe she just got stuck & have to do that to survive)

And I also feel the Empress DID love Lumiere (platonically) and ALSO hated her for being loved by the emperor....

Leading to this twisted situation & a strange obsession where she tortures Saphir, but keeps him alive and looks at him with love at the same time. Like, she should be the only one to bestow both love & torture upon him who looks so much like her beloved Lumiere (projecting her emotions for Lumiere unto Saphir)

And what's worse is, the root of all this problem isn't doing a thing (sperm donor).

I also have a feeling, the sperm donor fell in love w/the Lumiere who loved the Empress & forcefully took her away to try to receive the same attention, but soon got tired of it
(like a child who stole a treasured toy or pet, only to get rid of it when it's all worn out / after abusing it)