"I Married the Male Lead's Father to Survive"

The Wedding Night

The bridal chamber was supposed to be filled with laughter and blessings. Instead, I knelt alone on the cold marble, my wedding robes stained with the blood of the assassins my new husband had just slaughtered.

The feared Duke of the North wiped his blade clean, his ice-blue eyes evaluating me. "You're not screaming. Interesting."

I kept my voice steady. "The third assassin was hiding in the dowry chest. Left-handed. You missed the poison needle in his sleeve."

A slow smile spread across his face - the same smile the novel described right before he annihilated entire families. He reached for me... and dropped a dagger in my lap.

"Teach my son this trick tomorrow," he murmured. "If you survive the night."

The System finally updated its warning:
[Original Male Lead Affection: -100%]
[Duke's Interest: +500%]
[Survival Tip: Do NOT let him discover you're from another world]

🗨️ Discussion :
In political marriage stories, does genuine love ever overcome initial power imbalances? Or is it always transactional?