The Last Empress

In the present, mysterious skeletal remains are found on Ehwa Palace grounds with a necklace worth 2.2 million dollars thought to be a gift of the Emperor to the Empress. Jumping back one year earlier, at a luncheon with selected people, the Emperor meets Oh Sunny for the second time. In the blink of an eye, the event turns into a hostage situation where the Emperor and the people almost lose their lives.

After saving the Emperor's life, Sunny safely returns home. The assailant is apprehended, and the Emperor and the Empress Dowager learn that he is the brother of Kang Joon Sung, an Imperial guard who went missing seven years ago. Mysteriously, the assailant dies of a heart attack during the interrogation. Meanwhile, Yu Ra tells her mother that she wants nothing to do with her and her family.

The Emperor hits and kills Wang Shik's mother with his car. With Wang Shik just behind him, the Emperor loads her body and escapes. Yu Ra convinces him to trust her and tells him to dump the body. She then helps him create an alibi. Meanwhile, the Emperor orders Mr. Ma to destroy any evidence of him being in Bichido.

Yu Ra confesses to the hit-and-run accident and tries to stage her death, but the Emperor and his guards rescue her just in time. In the aftermath of securing his alibi, Sunny stands in the spotlight of the media. Despite the nuisance, the Emperor tries to deter the hit-and-run topic and surprises Sunny with a date. Meanwhile, Wang Shik seeks support for evidence he had secured at the accident site.

As the Imperial Family gathers to celebrate the Grand Empress Dowager's World Peace Award, Oh Sunny appears on behalf of the Empress Dowager's request to put on a show. But really, she's there to be introduced as the Emperor's significant other. Wang Shik suffers a devastating fall but is rescued by a villager before the Emperor's men can finish their job. Meanwhile, the Empress Dowager threatens Ms. Min to stay away from the Emperor.

With substantial evidence of the hit-and-run accident in her hands, the Empress Dowager reclaims her power over the Emperor and blackmails him to marry Oh Sunny. Cornered and not wanting Ms. Min to go to prison, the Emperor starts to court Oh Sunny. Meanwhile, Na Wang Shik determines to become an Imperial guard and asks the old man who saved him, to train him.

Transformed and well-trained, Na Wang Shik, who is now Chun Woo Bin, gets one step closer to fulfilling his revenge. The Emperor hires him as an Imperial Guard. Preparations for the wedding of the century begin, and the two families undergo customary traditions in style. Meanwhile, the Empress Dowager banishes Min Yu Ra from the palace.

As the nation watches the extravagant wedding, the elevated platform Sunny stands on breaks and sets on fire. Just as the situation gets dire, the new Imperial guard, Woo Bin, saves her. Meanwhile, the Empress Dowager thinks of a way to get rid of Yu Ra who is now the chief assistant of the palace.

Without knowing Yu Ra's devious ways, Wang Shik contacts her to meet face to face. When he approaches her, he gets a glimpse of Ma Pil and decides to abort for Yu Ra's sake. Later, his vigilance teaches him of Yu Ra's involvement in his mother's murder.

After finding out the people involved, Wang Shik returns to Bichido and swears to kill Pil Joo, the Emperor, and Yu Ra. He also tries to abandon Dong Shik, Yo Ra's son, but doesn't have the heart to do it. Angrier than ever, Wang Shik challenges the Emperor to a sparring match and impresses the Emperor.

The Grand Empress Dowager overhears Yu Ra and the Emperor talking and learns of their secret. She forbids their love and demands Yu Ra to leave the palace. Later, the Empress tries her best to please the Emperor but following Yu Ra's suggestion only angers him. Meanwhile, Wang Shik starts to get closer to the Emperor.

Knowing how the Empress must feel, the Grand Empress Dowager spends the day with her and invites her father to the palace. Pil Joo searches through Woo Bin's quarters and finds out that he is Wang Shik. When he goes after Wang Shik, he tells him the truth behind his mother's death.