Hi Rastagong! Sorry for the belated answer, I was indeed in the throes of O2A2 haha!
I'm really glad you appreciated the VN and the many literature references in it (to be honest, WOTF is filled with even more, haha, despite Chris not being a literature aficionado like Chloé). And yes, it was important for me, in HSL, to create a genuine connection between the two (and just realised I did things opposite with WOTF... hehe), and to show that the path of abuse isn't always under the claws of very evil guys, but instead, of men as we know many of, alas.
And indeed, Matthieu is in a strange state between looking at his actions with horror, and yet, being unable to put a stop to what is happening (Chloé being the one to do so in one ending). If I'm being honest, one of Matthieu's huge inspiration is Phaedra!
Thanks a lot for your feedback, your kind words, your interest in this game and in WOTF, they all mean a lot!