I have to say I really like how the author handled Belle getting her memories back/discovering the truth here. I was really kind of bracing myself, because it feels like it's common to see characters have these huge emotional lashouts when hit by a sudden revelation. Just turning against their friends and becoming totally unreasonable because of it, and it's super annoying every time, even when it's justified (which it kind of would be, here).
I really like that Belle does have those thoughts, but ultimately has the self-awareness and maturity to reason a step further. I'm glad she didn't die because of it.
Yeah, it's such a complicated situation with really complex emotions involved.
It makes me think of Margaret and Maggie. They were both very isolated, so when Maggie got her memories back, she had no positive memories or bonds to fall back on while dealing with the emotional turmoil. She only had a growing distaste of Margaret and the memory of Margaret almost cutting her face, so it was easy for Anthony to manipulate her.
Belle though had Emilyko to help her through the grief of losing her twin and treat her like a human. The twins also had Kate help them work things out when they were fighting over whose face Belle was, and their fighting had stressed Belle enough to start to break down. If not for Kate's intervention, that could have been just as traumatic for Belle as Margaret with the knife, and give Belle similar incentive to hate the twins and all the shadows.
It's just so well done. After skimming all the chapters involving Margaret's past and the twins in the immediate aftermath of Belle's death to refresh my memory, I wonder if the author intentionally set up Maggie and Belle as foils. The twins were even major figures in Margaret's memories.
It really goes to show the importance of having bonds of any kind, as even without seeking out Emilyko for support, just the memories of her kindness were enough to keep Belle on track and avoid being manipulated.