Tbf, the "shitty" brother that Ellen was supposed to marry, actually was the only one who really cared for Ruby and the only one who was kind to her.
But yeah, Ellen would have still married someone she personally didn't know instead of someone she loved, so that alone is already a shitty situation.
Tbf, she can escape the marrige that she doesnt want to because her brother sacrified himself by marry Ruby instead so she doesn't have to go anywhere.
And if she's welcome Ruby with open mind and no bias in the first place (or just slowly open up to her), she would have notice how her nanny and her derest friend treating her in-law like shit and once she know the truth she should have act like the noble lady and punish her own maid by herself, not act like some weak girl who needs her brother to handle things for her.
i can feel sorry for her just because of her mother's condition and only the way her dearest friend is using her all thie time but other than that, Ruby is more pitiful than her in many ways and deserves some good in-law who will not spills her mentally ill condition to anyone.
Ellen really can't catch a break. Her dad emotionally neglected her and Izek when they were younger. She didn't get to see Izek often because he was getting heir training. Her mother abused her and then killed herself because she was super mentally ill. She nearly got married off to one of Ruby's shitty brothers and shipped away from her home. Her nanny got kicked out of the mansion for being shitty to Ruby. And now she has to find out that her oldest and dearest friend is a snake and has been plotting on her and Izek for years so she can use their family to start a coup and become queen.
It's amazing that she hasn't snapped yet. If this were a different webcomic, she would be the protagonist that dies tragically and then goes back in time to get a second chance at a happy life.