Chapter 84
Beauchamp

This chapter reveals a devastating pattern: how the pursuit of justified revenge can transform us into the very thing we once fought against. The Count has spent decades becoming powerful enough to destroy his enemies, but in doing so, he's lost the compassion that made him worthy of justice in the first place. When Mercédès sees through his disguises to recognize the man he used to be, she forces him to confront an uncomfortable truth - his quest for righteousness has made him cruel. The mechanism is insidious. We start with legitimate grievance - real harm that deserves consequences. But as we accumulate power to 'make things right,' that power changes us. We justify increasingly harsh methods because our cause is just. We tell ourselves that our enemies deserve whatever we can dish out. Slowly, the pursuit of justice becomes about proving our own superiority rather than restoring balance. The Count's elaborate schemes aren't just about punishment anymore - they're about demonstrating his intellectual and financial dominance. This pattern appears everywhere in modern life. The employee who was wrongfully passed over for promotion becomes the micromanaging boss who makes life hell for their team. The parent who grew up with critical parents becomes hypercritical themselves, justifying it as 'preparing their kids for the real world.' In healthcare, the nurse who was bullied as a new grad sometimes becomes the one who eats her young. The wronged spouse in a divorce uses the children as weapons, telling themselves they're 'protecting' the kids from the other parent. When you recognize this pattern in yourself, pause and ask: 'Am I seeking justice or proving superiority?' Set specific boundaries around your response - what would actual restoration look like versus what would feel satisfying? Find someone like Mercédès in your life - someone who knew you before the hurt - and let them remind you who you used to be. The goal isn't to become a doormat, but to ensure your response to injustice doesn't create more injustice. When you can name the pattern, predict where it leads, and navigate it successfully - that's amplified intelligence.