Based on the way the voting plummeted after posting this last chapter (Chapter 16), it's obvious that many people didn't like the chapter. All I can say is, it was required. Why? Because the bad people in the story are very bad people and their evilness needs to be shown. And it ain't over yet. There's more to come.
The bad things shown in the story have other purposes as well. For example, it shows the strength of the victim's character. Their sacrifices. How it affects their relationships. And more reasons that I can't talk about without giving away the story. And if I got you to empathize with a character that was put through hell, felt her pain and humiliation, well, that means I did my job as an author.
But like all of my Lincoln Steele novels, Steele gets justice in the end. So hang in there.