I think Melissa's father and brother did love her, but the relationship was just strained. They both seem like awkward people... And chasing after the prince was just a cope, like.. It wouldn't have made anything better, but she's still loved.
I don't really agree with this. I think people can be victims and bad people as well, and that doesn't make writing less realistic. Real life is more complicated than just victim vs perpetrator, and bad people usually do have issues beyond just their behavior. Just because someone has a bad...