*Episode 7: Shadows of Doubt*
The palace was unusually quiet that morning. I woke up feeling the weight of the secret growing inside me, and it made every breath feel heavy. I looked at Riven sleeping peacefully beside me, his face calm, but I knew the storm brewing inside his world was far from over.
I wanted to tell him again how scared I was—scared of the child, scared of what it meant for us both. But the words caught in my throat. How could I tell the devil's son that I doubted his love?
The day moved slowly, each moment stretching as I tried to prepare myself for the inevitable. The other wives avoided me now, their eyes filled with pity and fear. I was no longer just Aria, the new wife—I was the pregnant one, carrying a child that might change everything.
Riven, too, was different. His touch was softer, his gaze deeper. Yet, there was a shadow behind his eyes—a worry I had never seen before. That night, he pulled me close and whispered, "Whatever comes, you and the child are mine."
I wanted to believe him.
But my mind was a battlefield of hope and dread.
What if the ritual's darkness followed this child?
What if love was not enough to protect us?
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As I lay in his arms, I made a silent promise to myself: No matter what happened, I would fight for this child. For our family. For a future beyond the shadows of hell.
And in that fragile hope, I found a strength I never knew I had.
But will my child really be immortal? Will he bear the devil's mark on his forehead, a symbol of dark power and eternal life? The thought haunted me endlessly. To carry a child destined for such a fate was both terrifying and overwhelming. Would he be accepted by the world, or condemned to suffer like his father? I wanted to believe that love could protect him—that somehow, this child could break the cycle of darkness. Yet, deep down, I feared the legacy he was born into might be impossible to escape.
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I don't really know what to do right now. Tears welled up, but I kept them hidden, crying deep inside my heart. The fear of what my child's future holds weighs heavily on me. I don't want my baby to live a life shadowed by darkness, cursed to be a devil. What kind of existence awaits an innocent soul born into this world of power and sacrifice? My heart aches with uncertainty and sorrow, hoping against hope that somehow, love will protect my child from the fate I dread.
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I just hope my child can have a normal life, like any other child—free from darkness and fear. I dream of a future where laughter fills our home, not shadows. But deep down, I know Riven won't accept that. He believes the devil's mark is a destiny that cannot be escaped, and he won't let anyone deny that power. My heart is torn between wanting to protect my child and fearing what Riven will demand. Still, I hold onto a fragile hope that love might find a way to change fate.