Someone refresh my memory on how Derrick treated Penelope any worse than everyone else in the story? His feelings aside.
He's the direct parallel to pens real brother from before transmigrating. Her irl brother pulled strings to abuse her like taking away her access to a safe home and emotional abuse, Derrick is the heir to the Eckhart's and so he has power of decisions to do with Penelope, like the murder trial and how he was going to let her be punished because he refused to take her words or evidence into account, the obsessive control he felt he deserves over her and the fact that he's basically embodying the trope of "Pulling the girls pigtails because of a crush".
Obviously Reymond did something similar but his redemption was a long time process with actual accountability, and her the duke nearly immediately regretted his actions and was on her side nearly 100% of the whole story.









SO SHORT?! THATS IT?!(╯°Д °)╯╧╧