"Hold on, you're not even divorced from him yet!" Cressida protested, eyes wide in disbelief.
In this world, patriarchy and matriarchy meant little. Power dictated one's place. The strong ruled, the weak obeyed. And among the strong, vampires stood at the very top of the Dark Tide's hierarchy.
Agrona's smirk said it all; she didn't need anyone's permission. "We'll think about that later," she replied coolly as her crimson eyes gleamed. "Or would you rather return to being my blood slave?"
That shut her up.
Cressida exhaled sharply, grabbing the pen with shaky fingers.
The paper crinkled under her grip as she scrawled a signature she completely made up on the spot because she had absolutely no idea what the real Cressida's signature looked like.
"Since when did you care about contracts? You could overpower me anytime you want."
"And a contract," Agrona said smoothly, "is simply a way to formalize how much I can overpower you."
"Fuck you."
Agrona took the paper, inspecting the inked scrawl of a signature. "Thank you," she said with a faint, venomous smirk. Rising from the bed, she added, "And just so you don't misunderstand, this changes nothing. You're still the same pathetic little mouse who used to trail after me."
Her heels clicked once on the marble floor before she vanished through the doorway.
Left in silence, Cressida exhaled and tried to sit up, only to feel a sharp tug on her wrist. She looked down and blinked at the iron cuff still latched to her arm.
"…I thought she respected my autonomy now!"
When Agrona finally returned and unshackled her, the relief was short-lived. The vampire didn't leave, she simply sat across from Cressida, who was still perched uneasily on the edge of the bed, trying to process everything.
According to the original plot, this was the point where Agrona was supposed to use another man a secondary male lead to provoke Daimon for taking in another woman without her consent.
But now, with the story's trajectory shattered, it seemed Cressida had unknowingly replaced that role.
So instead of seducing a duke or general, Agrona was sitting here, facing her.
╔════════════════════════════════════╗
║ [SYSTEM EVENT TRIGGERED] — "The Interview" ║╠════════════════════════════════════╣
║ Agrona has begun assessing her new "spouse candidate." ║
║ Your responses will influence: ║
║ • Marriage Compatibility Route ║
║ • Trust + Manipulation Dynamics║
║ • Hidden Affection Variables ║
║ Objective: Survive the interview without losing your sanity. ║
╚════════════════════════════════════╝
"If you want to become my perfect wife," Agrona said, crossing one leg over the other with predatory grace, "don't be a brat."
"...Define brat."
"Number one," They began, ignoring her. "Wake up before noon. I refuse to marry someone who thinks the sun is an optional feature of the day."
"I was hungover!"
"Number two. No plotting my assassination unless it's clever. I hate half-baked betrayals."
"Why would I— Okay, maybe once, but—"
"Number three, be obedient at ALL times."
"Can I add a rule?"
"No," Agrona said sweetly. "Rule number four, no adding rules."
Cressida glared at her, lips twitching. "You're impossible."
"That's number five," the older vampire said with a grin. "No pointing out the obvious."
Word by word, this woman was stripping away every basic human right Cressida had left. She always knew marriage could feel like a prison, but this was actual incarceration with fancy paperwork.
How was this even legal? At this point, Agrona should've just handed her a prison uniform instead of a ring.
The worst part? She remembered Agrona used the second male lead as a rebound pawn, wrung him dry, then tossed him like yesterday's wine.
Yeah, no. Cressida wasn't about to become another tragic footnote. She needed to change the narrative. She needed to get this woman.
But how the hell do you melt a glacier with fangs?
"If we're going to marry," Cressida said, lifting her chin, "then let me make at least one rule. That's how marriage works, isn't it?"
"Fine. Hit me with it."
"You have to…" She paused, letting the silence stretch just enough to be dangerous. "…reward me."
"...What?"
"Mhm." Cressida tilted her head, all fake innocence. "Every time I do something right. Positive reinforcement, you know? It's how you train pets. Right, wife?"