After reading Es response to the MC getting a tattoo, im very curious about what else the MC could do to terrorize them.
Im imagining a MC who hates E but wasn't able to escape the marriage for whatever reason. Maybe they show up to an event wearing inappropriate clothes for the occasion, or something wildly out of fashion. Maybe they start rumors that E performs rather poorly in the bedroom.
Or maybe if they're really mad they'll just set Es wardrobe on fire (E should be grateful its not their office).
The funny thing about the tattoo ask is that that's what would happen in a good relationship with them, as a gesture of good faith 😂
The clothes thing is interesting because you'll see their reactions to this in the story... but attempting to spread rumors like that would cause a huge scandal. In a relationship where there is mutual disdain, E wouldn't exactly be practicing celebacy, but they would at least be discreet about it. If the MC were to try to insult them like that, they'd become quite a tyrant among the peers, seducing married persons and widow/ers because he'd want the MC to see their pleased faces at balls, etc. Not many would want to duel E over it, either, but those who do wouldn't be met with anything honorable.
Overall, a MC who constantly instigates would likely become the gothic trope of "abandoned spouse in the attic of the country estate" (setting fire to E's wardrobe calls to mind Jane Eyre.)