WHEN THE MARRIAGE COLLAPSE

thirty - "I killed a person."

Yeonbyul went to the dark ballroom, remembering how she first learned waltz dancing while preparing for her wedding. She remembered the smile that was plastered on Heeseung's face as he watched her dancing with a coach. She hugged herself as she closed her eyes, remembering the steps. She let her body took over as she hummed a melody.

She did a twirl and imagined a figure dancing with her. Her right hand held the imaginary figure's chest and her free hand touched his hand.

When it was her wedding, she remembered how Heeseung encouraged her to dance and assured her that she was doing alright. She asked herself over and over again, where did the old Heeseung go?

She opened her eyes and her heart dropped when she saw Sunghoon smiling at her at the door. She closed and rubbed her eyes before opening them back, his figure disappeared into the thin air.

Now I'm hallucinating?

She wondered what he was doing that time. Was he thinking about her? Was he going out on a date with other women? Or was he busy with the coronation?

She walked out of the ballroom and saw the King running around the hallway with his mistress. She hid next to the wall as she watched them being playful and goofy to each other.

He looked like a little kid.

She ran away from the place and escaped from the palace, letting her legs bring her to an unknown destination. She hugged herself to keep herself warm. It was almost winter and the night breeze wasn't helping with her chills.

She watched as the yellowish leaves fell from the trees. The ground was filled with dried and dead leaves. She picked up a reddish maple leaf and remembered what her father said before.

"If a maple leaf falls on you, make a wish. It'll come true. That's how I got to give you the lifestyle you're living now. I keep wishing until I get to give you a big house and a nice lifestyle. I get to make sure that you're happy all the time."

She sighed, "But it didn't fell on me. I found it on the ground. Does that count? I really want to make a wish."

She closed her eyes and held onto the leaf as if her life depends on it, praying and wishing to the universe for her happiness.

Please let me find the one that will love me as much as how I love him. I want to be happy too.

"You still believe that bullshit?" She recognised that annoying voice and turned around, seeing Mr Kim approaching her.

She ignored him and kept walking forward, exploring the place she was in. She reached a cliff that had a river below it. It had a nice view of the mountain and she sighed in awe as she regretted not exploring the places near the place earlier.

"You should move on from your father's death. It's not healthy for you," he advised. She scoffed and turned around to face him, "Says the person who killed my dad?"

"What? I didn't. It's so unprofessional of you to accuse me like that."

She examined him, looking at him up and down. His hands were trembling and he was sweating like he just told her a big lie.

"Well, it's not impossible since you also tried to kill me. Now that we're alone and near a cliff, do you want to push me too?"

"Your father was too loud. He loved butting into my business. That's why he had to die."

She gritted her teeth in anger, "What?"

He walked towards her and pointed at her neck, "I slit his throat, then I stabbed a sword on his chest. And let me tell you, it felt so good killing him."

"You bastard!" Yeonbyul choked him, pushing him near the cliff. Mr Kim tried to push her back and tried to grab a fistful of her hair but she was a bit strong, accidentally pushing him off the cliff.

Her eyes widened as she watched him fall to the deep river. She kneeled on the ground, her hands trembled, "I just killed a person."

Unknown hands held both of her shoulders, "We need to leave. Now."

She looked at the person and it was Jake. He brought her to his car and drove away to a place far away from the palace.

"Calm down, Yeonbyul."

"I just killed a person," she said in fear, her body shivering.

The car parked at the valet parking of a luxury hotel. Jake gave his jacket and a mask to her, telling her to hide her identity. They both rushed into the hotel, escorted by the bodyguards. They went into a suite and she saw Soeun watching tv with her kids.

"Yeonbyul-ah," the West Queen called. Jake smiled and squatted in front of his kids, "I need you to sleep now. It's past your bedtime. Mommy and I need to discuss something with Aunt Yeonbyul. You can do that, right?"

His kids nodded and rushed into their bedroom. Yeonbyul sobbed and wiped her tears, "I killed Mr Kim. I pushed him off the cliff."

"If Heeseung finds out, you'll get executed. We need a faster plan to prevent that from happening. I'll contact Sunghoon."

Soeun patted Yeonbyul's back to comfort her, "It's alright. It was an accident."

I'm a murderer.

I'm a murderer.

It doesn't make any difference between me and Mr Kim.

I am the clone of him.

I shouldn't be alive right now.

What will happen to me if the people find out?

I'm a murderer.

I shouldn't live.