Okay then, what is the correct exposure? Your equipment may indeed decide that the exposure should be the one which will create the result that you want. Equally, it may not. After all, your camera isn’t creative, despite what the advertising propaganda would have you believe. It doesn’t know how you want the highlight areas to look, and it doesn’t know what you want to do with the shadows. It also knows nothing about the tonal range you have visualised. Only you do. So, you decide, not your equipment.