he’s basically being punished now for eternity (or as long as he is in the painting) in the form of drowning. the wife is there watching him suffer like in a pay for his sins kind of way. she’s basically also getting revenge in the form of watching his punishment for the way he treated her.
I looked at the painting and it looks like they’re holding each other, also why are they hugging? Don’t get me wrong. Your explanation makes more sense but there you see him hugging her.
wait oh my god i confused the dad’s ending w the emperors. i just quickly reread the chapters featuring the dad w paula (the mom) and my interpretation is this man is basically hard coping with the fact that he ruined his family basically therefore asking the fl for forgiveness. based on the fl’s mom personality in the earlier chapters where she interacts w the time regressed fl i don’t think she would happy to get back together w the dad but out of the goodness in her heart / her form of forgiveness the fl sends the dad into a painting where he is able to be “happy” together w the mom even though it may not be a reality
So what happened to the dad and is like… is he a ghost with the wife he messed up in the painting? Did she want him with her or not? It’s confusing cause I don’t know what is going with that part