WHEN THE MARRIAGE COLLAPSE

forty-five - "I'm ending it tonight."

Yeonbyul read her book peacefully as she listened to the fountain sounds. The garden was her safe place to escape. Sunghoon also told her to rest for a bit because it would be a little hard to get used to the North Kingdom's ruling system.

"Your Majesty," Haesun approached her as she bowed, "You wanted to see me?"

Yeonbyul smiled before looking at her baby bump, "Your child is growing healthily. That's a relief."

"What's your reason for calling me?" Haesun became impatient. She rolled her eyes as she stared at her nails, ignoring the Queen in front of her.

"Do you know where Hanseo is?"

The question took Haesun off guard. The mistress laughed nervously and smiled, "How should I know? I haven't seen her for months since she was fired from the palace."

"You fired her. Why? Because she and Ms Han reminded you of me?"

"What do you see in those two women? They're just royal workers. They're not your family members or anything."

"Family doesn't need to be justified by blood. Why? Did you do something wrong?" Yeonbyul asked again, feeling anger rising inside her, "You know what? Nevermind."

She handed the mistress a small box, "Heeseung told me to give it to you since he couldn't be here today. He has to take care of a few things with my husband."

Haesun scoffed, "Of course, he's my fiance anyway. What could it be? An expensive ring, maybe?"

She opened the box and screamed in fear when she saw the ring that had blood on it. She threw the ring away and grabbed Yeonbyul by the collar, "You bitch! You did this on purpose!"

Palace guards started pointing their swords at Haesun's neck, warning her not to harm Yeonbyul. The mistress glared at the Queen, "Whatever you're thinking, I did not kill the court lady."

"I didn't say you killed her. I'm just giving you back your ring. Heeseung found it in the trashcan. This must've cost him half a kidney to afford this, how could you just throw it away? Why? Is there something you're not telling me?"

"Park Yeonbyul!" Haesun was about to choke her but the guards pulled her back, grabbing her shoulders aggressively, "You must call her by her title. She is the Queen Consort."

"You must think that you're extremely powerful now that you got the title back. Just you wait until I marry Heeseung."

Yeonbyul smirked, "Just make sure to not kill him. You won't get the title and position if you kill him. Just saying."

Haesun scoffed before fixing her dress. She left the garden and cursed under her breath.

"Park Yeonbyul, how much do you know?"

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Heeseung held the umbrella above Yeonbyul's head as he watched her stare at Hanseo's grave. She put the bouquet next to the gravestone.

I'm sorry, Hanseo. I couldn't save you. I was too late to find you. I'm sorry for leaving you.

"Yeonbyul-ah, it's okay to cry. You don't have to hide your tears," he said. She scoffed softly, keeping her eyes fixed to the grave, "I've wasted too many tears over you. My eyes are empty now."