A practice of what's not preached [Completed]

XIII

Gwen, a vibrant and spirited girl, had her first encounter with Pastor Whitefield when she was just fourteen years old. However, their meeting was far from ordinary. It took place at a chapel event organized for the girls at her boarding school, where the pastor was invited to deliver a speech. As he stood before the audience, his penetrating gaze seemed to pierce through Gwen, as if he could see deep into her very soul. A shiver ran down her spine, leaving her with an indescribable feeling. Little did she know that this unexpected encounter would alter the course of her life forever.

In the months that followed, Gwen found herself constantly thinking about the pastor. His sermons, his mere presence, and the way he made her feel when he looked at her... It was all-consuming. Before she knew it, she was sneaking out of her dormitory window whenever she had the chance, meeting him in secret, and surrendering herself to him in ways she had never imagined. Their relationship was fueled by a passionate intensity, heightened by the forbidden nature of their love and the knowledge that discovery would result in her being ostracized by her family, church, and community.

Each time they met, Pastor Whitefield provided Gwen with solace. A year earlier, she had tragically lost her mother in a car accident. Her father, unable to cope with the loss, sent Gwen away to boarding school because she reminded him too much of her late mother.

Their clandestine rendezvous continued for the next four years, during which Gwen blossomed into a stunning and fervent young woman. Every time she laid eyes on the pastor, her heart overflowed with love for him. Deep down, she knew that their relationship was morally wrong, but she couldn't bring herself to sever the ties. She had become addicted to the way he made her feel, and the thought of a life without him was unimaginable.

The day finally came when Gwen, now a young woman of eighteen, received a letter from the pastor. It was a simple note, folded neatly in half, and addressed to her in his familiar script. Inside, he confessed his love for her and asked her to run away with him. He promised her that they could be together forever, and that they could build a life together far away from the judgmental eyes of their peers. Gwen's heart leapt at the thought of finally being able to be with him openly, but she knew that she couldn't leave everything and her father behind. With a heavy heart, she replied, declining his offer, and returned the letter to him through a discreet messenger.

As the days passed, Gwen found it harder and harder to focus on anything but the pastor. She couldn't shake the feeling that she had made a terrible mistake by turning him down. She didn't know what would become of them now, or if they would ever be together again. The thought of never seeing him again was almost unbearable, but she knew that she had to move forward with her life. She had made her choice, and now she had to live with the consequences.

One day, as she was making her way home from the market, she began to feel ill. Her stomach churned and her head spun, and she was overcome by a sudden wave of nausea. She couldn't shake the feeling that something was terribly wrong. She hurried home, collapsing onto her bed as soon as she reached her room. Her roommates, concerned for her health, insisted that she see the doctor the following day.

Late into the night, Gwen lay awake, her mind consumed by thoughts of the pastor. She couldn't help but ponder if there was a connection between her illness and their relationship. The mere possibility of being pregnant sent her heart racing. The next morning, she found herself in the doctor's office, bracing herself for the news. When the doctor finally emerged with a grave expression, Gwen knew her worst fears had come true. She was indeed pregnant.

Gwen was torn between conflicting emotions. She loved the child growing inside her and knew she couldn't bear to part with it. However, she also understood that the pastor would never accept the responsibility of being a father, especially given the circumstances of their relationship. Determined, she decided to confront him, hoping to make him understand that he couldn't abandon her and their unborn child. But as she made her way to his church office, doubt began to creep in. What if he didn't care? What if he wanted nothing to do with her or their child?

Finally, face to face with the pastor, Gwen noticed him avoiding her gaze. His words cut through her like a knife. "I see no other option," he said coldly. "You must have an abortion." Gwen felt as if the wind had been knocked out of her. In a barely audible whisper, she refused, "No. I can't. I won't." His expression turned icy. "Then you leave me no choice," he declared harshly. "You will have the abortion, and then you will vanish from my life. You will not bring shame upon me or my church." Tears streamed down Gwen's face as she left his office, her heart breaking into countless fragments.

Gwen wrestled with her decision for what felt like an eternity. She grappled with the knowledge that having an abortion would go against her beliefs, yet she couldn't bear the thought of bringing a child into the world without a father. After much contemplation, she made the difficult choice to proceed with the abortion, desperately hoping that the pastor would have a change of heart and take responsibility for his actions. However, as the procedure unfolded, Gwen felt a part of herself wither away alongside her unborn child. When it was all over, she found herself standing alone, her world shattered and her heart irreparably broken.

True to his word, the pastor vanished from Gwen's life. He made it abundantly clear that he wanted nothing to do with her and that she was to be erased from his existence. Gwen attempted to move forward, to rebuild her life without him. But no matter how hard she tried, the memory of their love and the loss of their child haunted her every step. The pain of their absence lingered like a haunting shadow, a constant reminder of the steep price she had paid for loving the wrong man.

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