Betrothed to the demon king

Chapter One The Forbidden Night The groaning and wailing of Mrs. Jeffrey echoed throughout the village of Okonta. But nobody dared to step outside their doors. It was the night everyone feared. The night when the Demon King left his dark kingdom and roamed the human world. Every year, on this particular night, an ancient rule was followed without question: Nobody was allowed outside. Doors were locked. Windows were shut. Candles were extinguished. Even the smallest sound from outside was enough to make people hold their breath. But tonight, something was different. Someone was crying for help. "Somebody help me!" Mr. Jeffrey shouted desperately. His voice echoed through the silent streets. "My wife is dying! Please! My wife is in labor!" He waited. Nothing. Not a single door opened. Not a single person stepped outside. "Please!" he screamed again. "Somebody help us!" Still, there was nothing. All that came back to him was the sound of his own voice. Mr. Jeffrey looked around desperately. He knew the villagers could hear him. They had to. But everyone pretended they couldn't. Inside their houses, families remained hidden, too frightened to risk their lives. Mr. Jeffrey's heart pounded. Oh God… is this how my wife is going to die? He wiped his tears quickly. He couldn't allow himself to think that way. His wife needed him. He rushed back inside. Mrs. Jeffrey was lying on the floor, twisting in agony. Sweat covered her forehead, and tears streamed down her cheeks. "I can't take this anymore," she cried. "I am so uncomfortable!" Mr. Jeffrey immediately knelt beside her. "I know, baby. I know. Everything will be alright. God is with us." "Don't call God into this!" she screamed. Her husband froze. "Can't God see me?" she cried. "Can't He see what I'm going through?" "Calm down, baby." "You don't understand!" Mrs. Jeffrey gripped his hand tightly. "You don't know what I'm going through! You've never been here before!" Another contraction hit her. She screamed. "This pain is too unbearable! I can't bear it anymore!" Mr. Jeffrey's eyes filled with tears. "Please, baby. Just hold on." "Call somebody!" she shouted. "Call the doctor! Call the nurse! Call the surgeon! Let them tear me open and bring this baby out of me!" "Baby—" "I don't care!" she cried. "Just get this baby out of me before I die!" She covered her face and sobbed. "I just want to see my baby before I die." Mr. Jeffrey's heart shattered. For fifteen years, they had prayed for this moment. Fifteen years. Fifteen years of marriage without a child. And now, when the miracle they had waited for was finally happening, his wife was suffering terribly—and no one was willing to help them. He held her gently. "You're not going to die." He wiped the tears from her face. "Nobody is dying. Look at me, baby." She looked at him through her tears. "Everything will be fine." But even as he said those words, fear was eating him alive. He couldn't bear to watch his wife suffer any longer. He jumped to his feet and rushed outside again. "Nurse Beatrice!" His voice echoed through the village. "Nurse Faith!" He pounded his fist against the nearest door. "Please! Help me! My wife is dying!" Silence. He ran to another house. "Please! Somebody help us!" Nothing. It was as though the entire village had suddenly gone deaf. Mr. Jeffrey's shoulders dropped. He wanted to cry. But he quickly wiped his face. I am the man here. Crying wouldn't save his wife. He rushed back inside. Mrs. Jeffrey was still groaning. "Baby, look at me." "Are you silly?" she shouted. "How do you expect me to look at you at a time like this?" "Just listen to me." He took her hand. "I need you to be strong." "Anything you want me to do, I'll do it," she cried. "Just bring this baby out of me before I die." "You're not dying." "I am!" "You're not." "I am!" She screamed again. Mr. Jeffrey held her hand more tightly. "Listen to me. Whenever the pain comes, push with it. Push as hard as you can." Mrs. Jeffrey nodded weakly. "Okay." The next contraction came. She pushed. "That's it, baby. Push!" She screamed. She pushed with all the strength she could find. But nothing happened. Mr. Jeffrey's heart began pounding. Please, God. The second contraction came. "Again!" he encouraged her. She pushed. Still nothing. Mr. Jeffrey began sweating. Fear crawled into his heart. What if something happens to her? His hands trembled. He had never felt so helpless in his entire life. Then suddenly, Mrs. Jeffrey screamed again. A third contraction. Stronger than the others. "Push, baby!" Mr. Jeffrey shouted. Mrs. Jeffrey grabbed his hand and pushed with every ounce of strength left in her body. "Harder!" She screamed. "Push harder!" Her body shook violently. Mr. Jeffrey leaned forward, his eyes widening. Then he saw something. His expression changed. "Baby…" Mrs. Jeffrey gasped for breath. "What?" Mr. Jeffrey stared in disbelief. "I can see something." "What?" "The baby's head!" For the first time that night, hope flashed across his terrified face. "The baby's head is here!" Outside, the village remained completely silent. No one dared to open their doors. No one dared to look outside. Because everyone knew what happened on this night. The Demon King was roaming. And somewhere inside a small house in the village of Okonta, a child was about to be born on the one night when no human was supposed to be outside. But neither Mr. nor Mrs. Jeffrey knew that the birth of their long-awaited child was about to change their lives forever. And perhaps… the entire kingdom with it.