Look, I'm someone who enjoys the toxic genre. I've read stories far more twisted than this one, so the content itself isn't what bothers me. In fact, stories that explore abuse or unhealthy relationships can be a guilty pleasure for many, myself included, precisely because they reflect a darker side of reality.
Not everything in life is sweet or wholesome, and sometimes reading about it can offer insight. I've read manga that, despite being disturbing, made me think about real-world situations. These stories can challenge your beliefs, broaden your perspective, and show how manipulation or danger can present themselves.
But for any of that to work, the writing needs to be solid. You need an actual plot. You need well-written characters. You need character development, especially for the victim. Without that, all you have is shock value and empty scenes.
This webtoon started good — historical setting, good art, a supposedly strong female lead, and a male lead clearly an abuser from the get go. I also didn’t mind the initial rape, because given the context, it wasn’t unrealistic. I even thought this could be a powerful turning point — something that could push the FL toward recognizing how she sacrificed everything only to be used by her comrades, which would help her escape them.
However, the moment the ML discovered her true identity, the plot evaporated. Now it's just porn. There’s no story anymore, no meaningful dialogue, no real development. For several chapters now, it’s been stuck in the same repetitive space, doing nothing but romanticizing and sexualizing abuse.
And rape will never be sexy. Ever.
If you're going to explore something like Stockholm Syndrome, then own it. Write it with complexity. Show the victim's psychological state. Show the abuse as the trauma it truly is. If she’s going to fall for her captor, there needs to be a reason. Not just endless, soulless sex.
I stuck with this hoping it would improve but it hasn’t. It's just porn.
I’m dropping it.
There is no redemption of the male lead in this tbh. Like it literally feels like I'm watching an ss pfficer abuse a resistance fighter- and then they're saying that he's actually in the right because his dad was killed by them? And we should feel sympathy? The man was cheating on his wife, and the resistance used that as a tactic to get in. And then saying that he's better than the resistance bdcause decided to use her as a sexual pawn but not tell her... like honest to god- this is a mess. She would have known. It's just so stupid
What Madelyn did WAS stupid. She stood for people who easily betrayed her.
One lesson I learned the hard way is that your morality should be given to people who deserve it—Jake and Isabel are not among them.
Isabel willingly threw Madelyn, a close friend and the very person who saved her life, under the bus. She led Madelyn into this mess by showing her the secret passages and making her care for Jake, fully aware of the risks.
And Jake, he proudly boasted that he would rather die than betray his comrades, which is true. He didn't betray them, instead he betrayed her. Without hesitation, he made Madelyn, the person who nursed him back to health, his accomplice, by making her send a telegram and leaving her the gun. And now we learn that instead of staying quiet or handing the names of real revolutionaries, he decided to use her, a civillian nurse, to save himself from the torture.
And to everyone saying he was tortured, let’s not forget Jake and Elizabeth are revolutionaries who are against the crown. If you decide to embark on this path, you must accept the consequences. You must know that the government will be after you, and that prison, torture, or death is a real possibility. Jake and Isabel knew this. Madelyn did not. She’s a civilian, who was completely unaware of the gravity of the situation. She doesn’t even seem to fully grasp their ideology and may not even completely agree to it if she did—yet she’s the one suffering the full consequences now.
Jake and Isabel, who supposedly fight for the common poeple, willingly exploited a civilian. And not just any civilian, but someone they knew is kind and compassionate, someone who wouldn’t refuse them. They used her.
So no, they don’t deserve empathy for this.
The real world countries are set up in such a way that they protect the people who have power. That definitely is not fair. To call the people who fight against this system by using available resources (like Jake) or who disagree with the unfairness (like Madelyn) stupid isn't clever either.
The world was never and will never be fair. Even socialism which preaches fairness and equality was one of the most discriminatory and inhumane regimes when used by itself without democracy. I know that first hand.
And preciselly due to the country I was born and raised in, I find it stupid to sacrifice yourself for people who already sacrificed you. Because those same people would never appreciate you and will take you for granted. In my country we have a saying 'Do good to eat shit.' and Madelyn is currently the epitome of it.
And what do you mean by available resources for Jake? To make her send a telegram when he was almost recovered and could have done it himself? To leave his gun and incriminate her? Or to give her name to the police? Is that his resource? Is pushing her under the bus moral, just or fair?
He could have sent the telegram himself when he left the manor. He could have taken the gun with him. You know why he didn't? Because he knew the police were up his ass so why not shift their attention to a civilian?
He could have stayed quiet when he got caught, he could have kept her name out of this or said someone else's. He didn't. He didn't because the consequences of sacrificing her are non-existent in terms of his well-being or the well-being of the organization.
He fights for equality yet treated Madelyn as a means to an end. She was never equal to him.
Socialism (with very high taxes on wealth) + democracy = pretty good state model :) So never give up.
To sacrifice for the others is the person's own choice. I think, I'll sacrifice my life for my kid if there is no other choice.
Manga doesn't give all necessary info about Jake's reasons, motivation and actions to judge him fairly (for example, it does not say anywhere that it was him, who reported her, etc). Plus I don't believe there are people in this world who won't break under torture.
But ultimately the root cause of social evil is the use of power and huge state resources for own benefits (like in this case scenario for the protection of one king hundreds / thousands/sometimes millions of unhappy people can be tortured, sent to prison etc and we have no sympathy for these people. That's beyond my comprehension.
I AGREEE
The audacity Hyundo's ex has is through the roof. You shattered his self-esteem and self-worth and believe you have the right to be with him? Bitch, gtfo. Such a narcissistic piece of work, she doesn't even see him as a person but as her shiny toy which she doesn't want to give up. Disgusting.
My God, all the men in this webtoon are trashy, except for FL's brother (at least for now). But from all of them her fiance is the worst. Yes, Leon is a literal monster but at least you know that from the start. I wouldn't expect him to show any care about the FL, because he is a heartless sadist to begin with.
But Jimmy? Aka your fiance, the man who is supposed to have your back 24/7 and be your safe space? Just no.
If my man willingly used me as a bargaining chip for a CRIMINAL only to get some Intel, I would be dropping his and everyone's name to Leon and watch their asses burn while I eat cake by the sea.
Wait, why did he get mad at Nora? If I was in their situation, I would feel shitty and insignificant too but I would think "No wonder he doesn't want to stay with his family, I wouldn't stay either". Plus, they knew Nora was abused, like what did you expect going there? To be welcomed warmly, when they are not warm even to their flesh and blood? Given their social status and the circumstances, I am surprised they were even let inside the mansion.
You experienced first hand this suffocating environment, finally understood what your close friend suffered through for 17 years, met his abusers and then blame Nora for everything?
Not only that, but you disregard his pain and say you would have put up with it for the status? That is truly disgusting. I really do not understand how a genuine friend could think like this. I do not understand how you could be mad and blame Nora for this.
i think, through han's perspective, the most relatable way to connect it to modern issues is the topic of "rich people cosplaying poor people." rather than status, it was more bc of wealth.
i know where you're coming from, but i think his mindset was more of "rather than starving myself every night, i'd rather be abused and still have food on the table." he justifies his anger by redirecting the blame to nora, hence, "it's his own fault he got beat. i would've just stayed quiet and obeyed." hans has a mixture of inner turmoil and misunderstandings that needs to be resolved.
also to note: hans mentioned that he believes the reason nora befriended the three of them, as an outlet from his reality, was because no matter how much the poor succeed, they're still beneath him, a noble; hence why it'd be refreshing for nora to not constantly be competing. and if all goes wrong as a peasant, he can just run back to his mansion.
but in reality, the expectations of 'noblesse oblige' exists for the higher class. i'm not arguing, just trying to introduce a new perspective.
Thank you for this explanation! I linked his burst to being a teenager but it was difficult to truly understand him since our personalities are quite different. You made his point of view very clear.
This chapter was different from the novel, right? I remember that in the novel Hestia left without being noticed and Kael was in a bad shape afterwards. This was the reason why Hestia made Helios move his office to the Lion Palace, or am I getting it wrong?
Anyway, I liked this more than the novel. In the novel it always felt like Kael was settling with Hestia rather than being in love with her, at least until later chapters. Hopefully, the wbtoon will continue to show their relationship like this. I want to see Kael truly in love and serious about Hestia.
Omg same thank god they changed it bcs the novel version is just too sad for hestia i cant handle it
When will they kiss? T_T
Yes, this chapter is different from the novel.
Please someone link for the novel please?????
I remember it that way too, I felt confused for a moment there.
Go to moonlightnovel.com and find “For My Derelict Favorite”
The novel is translated properly and completed
Can I trouble anyone who knows which chapter in the novel is the latest chapter of the manhwa? Btw thank you so much for the link!!!
Chapter 22 of the novel
Until ch18 I was 99% certain Isaac is Noah but now I don't think he is. I feel like Noah is the guy in the last pages of ch18 who took the tulips out from the trash. This would suggest Noah is indeed close and stalking Finn. Also Scott, the best detective, did not recognise him at all. If Isaac was truly Noah, Scott should have had at least some suspicion but he had none. Additionally, the police guy who looked into Noah's whereabouts said he is just working and minding his business, suggesting they are still keeping tabs on him. If he changed his name, or worked in the same company as Finn, for whom he has a restraining order, they surely would have known something.
I think Isaac is a different person who got close with Finn because she is his fastest ticket to Noah? Hence the "getting bored, so come out, Noah" part? I guess Isaac is connected to Noah somehow, either he was close to one of his victims and wants revenge or he is into psychopath stuff like Finn and wants a thrill. The first would explain his obsession with Finn. It would also explain how he remembers Scott's interview which happened years ago, suggesting that is the timefrme when the events that triggered his obsession started. Likely Noah killed the first two victims because he was looking for Finn, so when he found out they weren't her, he disposed of them. Isaac probably killed the last person to make it seem like a serial murder, hence, the sligthly different MO between the first two and last victims.
If Isaac is obsessed with Noah for any reason, this would also explain how he knows details of the first 2 murders so well. It would also explain why he thought it was "a waste to kill someone with only 2 slices, when you can do whatever you want with them". Like he had fun killing the third victim and then thought "Oh right, I must tie her and do the slashes."
Noah or not, the guy is dangerous af. I can't wait to see what will happen in the next chapters - if I was right or completely off track.
Ur crazy bro, I like what ur saying holy shit
that’s such a good theory another thing I want to add that is solely my thought is that I think Issac knew Finn when they were younger bc of the flashback of her laughing in the elevator, when he confessed that he isn’t a “stalker” but then I’m not so sure don’t take my words as an answer though!!
Holy shit this feels SPOT ON.
Diana condemned other nobles for simply eating fancy cakes but finds no problem to waste the royal budget for her own ego.
I got scandalised by what was written from someone below so decided to do a little research on the novel.
The spoilers are false.
SPOILER!!!
From what I read on novel updates, ML actively pursues FL and she accepts his advances. They start dating in secret and only make their relationship public when they announce their marriage. Most of ML's family treat FL well and there isn't major drama about her not being a chaebol. FL continues to work in the company along with ML after they get married and they have a son which resembles ML. All in all it is a stereotypical romance comedy webtoon.
This is where I read the spoilers from: https://www.novelupdatesforum.com/threads/lee-seob%E2%80%99s-love.172155/
thank you
Damn, the moment I read the grandpa was part of conducting research during the war, I knew he would be linked to Anya.
From his and Loid's words, I already see where this will go, so I will brace myself emotionally but still...
I wish he could stick to being the sweet, old grandpa with dementia.