WHEN THE MARRIAGE COLLAPSE

thirty-five - "I'm no longer the Queen."

Yeonbyul held her ring as she stared at it. She clenched it and threw it into the trashcan. She cursed at her husband under her breath looked through her planner book, deciding to get divorced as quick as she can.

I can't stand living with him. I need to get divorced as soon as possible. He's driving me crazy day by day and that mistress is making the situation worse.

The doors were knocked and she frowned, walking towards it and opening it. Jake and Sunghoon rushed into the room, "This is bad."

"Why? What happened?" She asked in confusion. Sunghoon held both of her shoulders, "Haesun knew Heeseung couldn't execute you so she told him that Hanseo influenced you into killing her father. Now, they're at the execution room with my parents."

"What?! Why did your parents agree to it?!"

She rushed out of the room and ran to the execution room. The guards stopped her, blocking the entrance. She kicked the guards in the crotch before running inside.

"Hanseo! Ms Han!" She called as she saw the court ladies were tied to a pillar. A man was pointing his sword at Hanseo's neck.

"Your Majesty, King Park, I wasn't influenced by my court lady. It was purely self-defence since Mr Kim tried to choke and kill me!"

"Liar!" Haesun yelled as she hugged Heeseung. Yeonbyul bowed and her eyes formed tears of fear and frustration, "Mr Kim approached me that night and provoked me. He then confessed that he killed my father. I pushed him to make him go away but then he started choking me and unfortunately, I was too strong when I pushed him back. He lost his steps and fell off the cliff."

"How can we believe you, Queen Yeonbyul?" Sunghoon's father asked sternly. Jake stepped up and raised his hand, "I have proof, Your Majesty."

Yeonbyul looked at him in surprise, waiting to see what the proof was. Jake walked towards the North King and showed a video of the cliff accident, "I met with a person who witnessed the accident. He recorded it and gave the video to me."

"So that's why you killed my father?" Yeonbyul said as she gritted her teeth in anger.

"He was bothering me too much. I had to kill him. I slit his throat and then I stabbed him in the chest. God, it felt so good."

Yeonbyul cried and pushed him away, "You bastard!"

Mr Kim choked her, "My first attempt failed, now I'm ending it once and for all. You will die right now, in my hands!"

She gasped for air as she tapped weakly on his hands. She pushed him off but was a bit too strong. He missed his steps and fell off the cliff, screaming at the top of his lungs. Yeonbyul trembled in fear as she watched the older man's figure disappeared in her sight.

"So that's what happened," King Park sighed. He motioned for the guards to untie Ms Han and Hanseo from the pillar. Yeonbyul fixed her posture as the two court ladies stood behind her in fear. Sunghoon walked forward, "Mr Kim has been released many times from his crimes. Especially when His Majesty, King Heeseung executed an innocent chef just to hide Mr Kim and his crimes."

"Is that so?" The Prince's father furrowed his eyebrows at Heeseung. Sunghoon continued, "Mr Kim was the culprit who stole millions of dollars from the kingdom. He killed the minister of finance and got away with it thanks to the connections he had here."

"Well then, I believe Queen Yeonbyul was protecting herself but then accidentally pushed him off the cliff. Even when he's still alive, he should be executed for his heavy crimes. Therefore, Ms Han and Hanseo are not at fault. Everyone may dismiss the execution room."

Yeonbyul kneeled on the floor, her legs became weak. She exhaled in relief and hugged Hanseo, "Thank God you're okay."

Everyone was about to leave the room but Yeonbyul stopped them, "Your Majesty. May Heeseung and I use one of your formal rooms. We are getting our divorce as soon as possible."

Everyone gasped, including Heeseung, "Yeonbyul-ah."

She glared at him before looking at King Park, "If it's possible, I would like the divorce ceremony to be held this instant."

"Very well. I am so sorry your marriage didn't work out but it's better to separate quickly than torturing yourself later. I will find a suitable lawyer for both of you."

The North King and Queen sat next to each other as they watched the judge and lawyer taking their seats. Yeonbyul and Heeseung sat with their lawyers at separate desks, avoiding eye contact. Sunghoon sat next to his parents, watching them carefully.

"We will begin the divorce ceremony now. Please take a seat."

I'm sorry, dad. I know your wish was to see me happy with my husband. But my happiness was to be free from all of this that is suffocating me. I want to be loved. I'm tired of being the second choice. I knew I can't compete with Haesun. I had to let go of my position as the Queen Consort and a wife.

"Your Majesty, you do know that if you are divorced, you will not have the power as the Queen Consort and your title will be deducted from you. Are you sure you want to continue this ceremony?" The judge asked sternly.

"Yes. I do not care that the title will be taken away. I wish to be free from all these things that are torturing me."

"What level of divorce would you both agree to?"

"Level 3," Yeonbyul interrupted Heeseung who said, "Level 1."

She glared at her husband, "We are not getting back together again and that is final. If you believe that you will be happy with your mistress then why would you need to get back together with me? I want the third level of divorce. I wish to not get back together again and I want him to disappear out of my sight forever."

Heeseung's heart dropped when he heard her said that. He frowned and sighed, lowering his gaze, "Level 3."

"You both shall get a divorce and are forbidden to get back together again whether it is by marriage or not. If both wishes to do so, then His Majesty, King Heeseung shall be stepping down from the throne."

They both signed the official divorce documents and the judge hit his wooden hammer three times, "You are now both single. Ms Park Yeonbyul, you are no longer the Queen and you shall no longer have the power to rule the Kingdom."

"I understand," the former Queen bowed before leaving the hall.