can we just stay in the here and now?

I actually love the Louis and Regina subplot because it really is a continuation of the way Louis has always treated women, as a source of emotional labour that he can throw money at and have them make him feel better. It’s Miss Lily all over again, it’s “paying a whore to sit in a room and talk with him”. Making Claudia was always about Louis’ feelings under the pretence of saving her from the fire. He wants to save Regina from poverty but it’s all to make himself feel better. She sees through him but she’s so broke that she can’t afford to say no

Also really interesting to me that Louis only proposes this after he finds out she does sex work. Like, I don't know if it's necessarily a conscious connection he's making, but he definitely feels like this is someone whose time can be bought. Just like Miss Lily's time could be bought...

EXACTLYYYYY!! I also think it’s significant that it’s always young black women who he treats almost as commodities in this way. He has come from a society where he is used to his labour being exploited but instead of breaking that chain he continues it with the only group directly below him