The fact you're trying to minimize the amount of psychological and emotional abuse Riftan has been pulling on Maxi purely in the last 3 chapters alone by saying it's simply because "Durr hurr he's gonna miss her" is kinda nuts. Like are we reading the same thing? He very clearly only views Maxi as an object to be won, a woman to feign over and pamper, rather than listen to and allow to even GO OUTSIDE. Regardless of what she asked him, threatening suicide, manhandling her, and guilt tripping her into making her stay because he knows he can't get away with outright imprisoning her is an unacceptable reaction from anyone's intimate partner.
it's not a matter of just him wanting to be with her, it's that he wants it his way and ONLY his way, otherwise he devolves into a rageful, controlling psycho. Comparing his mother's story with a man who clearly didn't love his mom abandoning them and Maxi, a devoted wife, telling him exactly what the plan is and how she is NOT abandoning him and will come back... acting like these two things are the same is really disturbing. It is unreasonable that he denies her any voice of her own unless it aligns with his own beliefs.
I know in some aspects Riftan is indeed being controlling, but is it so wrong that he doesn’t want to be split up from his wife for 3 years? Why are you guys acting as if want to actually be with her is an unreasonable ask???
This doesn’t mean I don’t understand Max’s will to leave. It’s so important that she finds out who she is outside there marriage and Riftan is hindering that due to the fact that he wants to protect her. She wants to protect him. He doesn’t want to be protected. SHE doesn’t want to be protected it’s a sad loop that won’t break so it important that she leaves. But don’t act as if it’s unreasonable that he wants her by his side.