Kim Kardashian Wants Split to Stay "Amicable"—and Guess Who Wanted an Annulment First?!

Source dishes to E! News about Kim's reaction to Kris Humphries' legal filing; plus, is it even legally possible to wipe their marriage from the books?

There's that word again: Annulment.

Kris Humphries filed paperwork yesterday to nullify his and Kim Kardashian's 72-day marriage—or, in the event that a court won't grant an annulment, to obtain a legal separation.

So how is Kim, who filed for divorce on Oct. 31, handling the news?

"This whole situation has been upsetting for her," a source close to Kim tells E! News. "She wanted the annulment when they made the decision to separate, but was told it wasn't an option."

Well, what do you know?!

"The whole thing has been extremely difficult, as you can imagine," the source continued. "And she wants to be as respectful to Kris as possible and move on in the most amicable way."

We wish them both the best of luck with that. But, why did Kris try his hand at an annulment after Kim went the divorce route?

"If they were never married, then the prenup wouldn't be in effect and there would be no confidentiality," says family law expert Lisa Helfend Meyer, a senior partner at Meyer Olson & Lowry. "He could make a lot of money disclosing what went on during their 72 days of bliss."

This could also be a way for Kris to obtain some leverage in the divorce proceedings, Meyer tells E! News. "Otherwise there is no leverage," she says. "Kudos to Kris' attorney for thinking of this. That was pretty smart thinking on part of somebody."

Also, Meyer adds, Kim could be liable for palimony if the prenuptial agreement is invalidated. (Unless, she says, Kim's lawyer had the foresight to add a clause to the prenup that makes it stand up even in the event that she and Kris were never married.)

But regardless, the chances that Kris could prove the fraud allegation cited in his annulment filing are slim.

"I think he is going to be hard-pressed to prove the fraud," Meyers said. As to why he filed for a legal separation, as well...Meyers can't really say.

Both parties would have to agree to the separation, she explains, and the move could theoretically support Kris' original remarks about his marriage being "all about love for him and that he can't believe she did this."

—Additional reporting by Claudia Rosenbaum