And for Rumple, the idea of having a family is incredibly seductive, I think. It’s all he ever wanted pre-dark one, it’s what he wanted when Milah wanted to run off, and I suspect it’s what he hopes for with Belle and Bae now.
Agreed, he was abandoned as a child so family becomes uber important to him.
Which is why I think he was willing to take it wherever he could find it, even in something that wasn’t true. He felt drawn to Cora and when she offered him love and a child, he jumped at it because he thought she really meant it. But to her, it was a power play to get him to change the contract because she had no idea what love really is.
I think even if we get a response from Jane about this questions, I’m going to maintain that Cora never really loved Rumple because she didn’t know what love was.