“I gave you my soul in my last life. In this one, I’ll settle for your crown.”
~
In my first life, I was the devoted Queen. I waited two months for my husband, King Lauren, to return from the front lines—only for him to walk through the palace gates with a beautiful young maiden by his side and a decree in his hand: ‘She would be the new Queen’.
And because of that evil beauty he brought to our kingdom, I died a discarded "nobody," executed for a crime I didn't commit.
But death didn't take me. It sent me back.
I woke up on the morning of his return. The crowds are cheering, the flowers are blooming, and my husband is about to humiliate me in front of the entire kingdom.
But he doesn't know I've changed. He doesn't know I've returned with a special skill that makes me the most dangerous woman in the room.
Before he can introduce his "New Queen," I hand him the one thing no one in this kingdom has ever dared to ask for: Divorce papers.
In our land, a Queen asking for divorce is an abomination punishable by stoning.
But Lauren thinks I’m bluffing. He looks me in the eye, tears my petition to shreds, and growls, “You are my wife. I will never stamp those papers.”
He thinks he is keeping me trapped. He doesn't realize he has trapped himself in a palace with a woman who knows every one of his secrets—and is prepared to burn his kingdom to the ground just to see him sign his name.
My goal is simple; I will make him fall... not in love, but to his knees.
Since he spent my first life making me cry. I’ll spend my second making him bleed.

"Are you outrightly disrespecting me before your guests?" I demanded while having a stone cold expression.


When she parted her lips to either say her mind or disrespect me further, I turned towards Bernard and locked eyes with him as I bluntly asked what I have been wanting to know.


"Are you having an affair with my queen?"


The atmosphere of the room instantly shifted to something ominous and dangerous and I saw how his eyes widened before he swiftly shook his head while defending himself.


"No, you majesty, I can never dream of doing such a thing. I respect the queen too much to even think such a thing."


Then I faced Deborah who had a neutral face as she watched me, like she was already used to it.


"You are infuriating me, Lauren," she irritatedly muttered so the others won't hear.


Chapter 71 - Another unsuccessful bargain