She is using her wits and her looks to get away with shit, and you're not even half-way through the plot, this is called a revenge arc (you can read more about it
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) and it takes time so her revenge will be even sweeter. It's obvious the plot isn't going for a "sexual awakening" where a female character discovers she is a bimbo slut created to satisfy men, but rather DecentMonkey eventually wrapping up the story with Monica getting back at them (like most revenge arcs, probably by having them go through what she did or by destroying them).
Also, I said she had a powerful, manipulative and resourceful
personality, not that she was so - as we know, she is currently fallen from grace.