All Chapters of Love: A Matter of Conscience: Chapter 1 - Chapter 9

9 Chapters

Chapter 1

One night, my stomach condition flared up.Frank Turner, my loving husband, promised to swing by the pharmacy for my meds.Soon after, he called. "My boss just sprung overtime on me. I sent the pills up in the elevator. Take them, alright? I'll be back soon. Love you."I hated the dark, so no matter how late his shifts ran, Frank used to race home, saying the thought of me shivering alone in bed gnawed at him.Now he hung up with a reluctant sigh, and I believed him.Unexpectedly, his "overtime" was a steamy hookup with a college girl in his car. In the backseat, they sweated buckets and panted hard.She asked, "Do you love me, Frank?"He chuckled, "If I didn't, would I be here this late? Gotta punish you for doubting me."They dove into another round, oblivious to the world.After a while, Frank got out, slid into the driver's seat, and drove off.I watched it all in silence, and minutes later, my phone rang."Babe, feeling better now?" he asked. "If not, I'll swing back an

Chapter 2

I pushed him away, bile rising in my throat. "You reek of sweat. Go shower."Frank snuggled closer, playing coy. "Work was brutal. Let me hold you for a while."As we tussled, my fingers brushed something crusty on his pants, dried evidence of his betrayal."Kid spilled oatmeal on me last night," he mumbled, shifting uncomfortably. "I'll change."As he showered, I doubled over, vomiting into the sink, my stomach churning from more than just my condition. I grabbed his phone and opened his chat with Lila.Her avatar was a sketch he'd drawn—art he'd once sworn was only for me. The latest one was when he went to buy my medicine.Lila: [Back at school, and you haven't visited. Got new lingerie. Wanna see if it fits?]Scrolling up revealed more flirty texts, money transfers, and coded plans for meetups.Turned out, they had been sneaking around since our wedding. This explained his goofy grins at his phone and the hours spent in the bathroom.When I confronted him, he claimed he wa

Chapter 3

I handed in my resignation and passed off my work.As I left, a delivery guy brought lunch and wedding favors.He announced, "Frank and Adeline's second anniversary is coming up! Lunch and candies on them!"On my phone, Lila's new post popped up.She and Frank were at an amusement park, sporting Nick Wilde and Judy Hopps headbands. Their poses were flirty and intimate.Last year, I had begged Frank for those movie-themed photos, but he had laughed it off, calling them childish.Apparently, they weren't childish with her.I liked her post and walked out.The janitor called after me, "You're leaving these beautiful flowers?""They look pretty, but rotten inside," I replied without looking back.Not long after I arrived home, Frank rushed in with a StellaLou keychain."Babe, I know you love StellaLou," he wheezed, struggling to catch his breath. "Got this for you. Seeing it is like seeing me."Years ago, when we were broke, I'd eyed that keychain at the park but passed to save

Chapter 4

Frank played a soft melody, then shouted, "Adeline, I love you!"His smile was as dazzling as it was at our freshman gala, when he'd confessed on stage. I'd turned him down, and he chased me for three years.My friends bet he'd give up, but he didn't.At our wedding, my best friend toasted, "Frank, you're relentless. No one believed in you back then, but you managed to win her heart. Respect."Frank grinned. "Marrying Adeline is my greatest fortune."Now, those words were a cruel joke. I couldn't forgive his betrayal.When he paid the bill, he overpaid by double.I tried to remind him, but he whispered to the waiter, "Send the takeout to Dorm #1 of Riverdale University."I stayed quiet and got in the car alone.Our anniversary was two days away, and Frank took the day off.Each year, we'd retake our wedding photos. He once enthused that he loved seeing me in a wedding dress, marrying him annually.We booked a shoot at the park where we had dated in college.Under a sprawlin

Chapter 5

My family swarmed me at the airport.My brother, Jonas Houser, griped, "Regret staying with that loser? You could've lived easy here."My mother, Michele Houser, tiptoed and swatted him. "She's home now. Be kind."I felt like I'd escaped a sinking ship, finally safe.Michele planned a trip to lift my spirits, and we roamed from north to south, soaking in every sight. Nature stitched me back together, bit by bit.On the way home, I vomited in the car.I'd always had motion sickness, so I didn't think much of it.But days later, greasy food turned my stomach. Michele dragged me to a doctor, who handed me a bombshell: I was three months pregnant.I stared at the report, knowing I couldn't keep it.Frank's calls and texts flooded my phone. I shut it off.Jonas wanted to fly back and deck him, but Michele stopped him. "Let's hear what Adeline wants."I sat for hours, hand on my belly, wrestling with my heart. Taking a deep breath, I said, "I'm getting an abortion."The little li

Chapter 6

I didn't know how long Frank searched to find me, but he looked like a ghost.His face was hollow. His eyes were sunken deep, and his suit was a wrinkled mess. The sharp, driven man I'd loved was gone.His eyes flickered with desperate hope. "Babe, I finally found you. Come home with me. I'll cut off all that mess, and we'll have another kid. I'll love you like I always did."I stepped back, avoiding his touch.His eyes dimmed. "You're still mad, aren't you? I've cut off contact with her, and left everything behind to find you. Can't you forgive me?"He thought he'd sacrificed it all, but I didn't even glance his way. "Remember what you promised my dad when he gave you my hand at our wedding?"Frank had sworn he'd never betray me, or he'd end up alone."When you did those things with Lila, did you think about the fallout?" I pressed.He stepped closer. "Nobody is perfect. Lila was just physical. You're the one I love. I'd choose you every time."Nausea hit me like a wave. I co

Chapter 7

I stared at him, a stranger now. "If you'd owned up to loving Lila, I'd respect you. You saved my life, so I won't hold your past against you. Go be with her. We're even."His eyes dimmed. "But you're the only one I love. I can't let you go and start over with someone else."His sincerity was a mockery."Stop playing the devoted husband," I snorted. "I've been more than fair. Your apologies are too late."The next day, Lila texted: [Adeline, you're getting old. Don't ruin Frank's future. He's young, handsome, and successful. If you don't want him, let him go. I'm young and healthy. We'll have a lot of kids. His mom loves me and calls you a useless woman.]I wasn't surprised, knowing how aggressive Ashley was.When we first met, she had made me walk through a circle of candles and doused me with cold water to cleanse my arrogance.Frank couldn't stop her, and they had fought.I had brushed it off, leaning into his arms. He had promised we'd move out after marriage. I had been fu

Chapter 8

Frank's arrival shattered my peace.He stood outside my house every day, from dawn to dusk. At night, he slept on a street bench.Wherever I went, he trailed behind.One day, a downpour caught me on my way home. Frank ripped off his jacket, shielding me as we ducked into a shop.I dodged his attempt to wipe rain from my hair. He awkwardly pulled back and said, "Remember my first promotion? It was pouring like this."I hadn't forgotten.We didn't have a car back then, and the rain drenched us.He spent half a month's pay on a new outfit for me but bought nothing for himself. Instead, he spent the rest on a necklace. I couldn't accept it.He insisted, "You focus on looking gorgeous, and I'll handle the money. With me, you never need to worry about cash. I'll buy you anything."He worked harder after that and earned another promotion in six months.That day, he dragged me to a dealership and bought a modest car. "I can't give you the best life yet, but I'll keep grinding to buil

Chapter 9

After Frank's detention, I felt lighter, hanging out with my friends.We drank and danced at a bar to shake off the weight.I was a little drunk so a friend offered to take me home. He held me up all the way so I wouldn't fall.Suddenly, a figure rushed out and punched him. Under the streetlight, I saw it was Frank.My friend was taken off guard, his face bruised."She is my wife! Hands off her!" Frank roared, mistaking it for something more.As I stepped between them, Frank yelled, "You're protecting him?"I was pissed off, slapping him. "You're unhinged! I told you, we're done. Get lost!"He staggered, lowering his fists.In his mind, I was always gentle and calm. In all our years, I'd never yelled or lost my temper."You hit me for him?" he muttered in disbelief, then shook his head. "I get it. This is a test, right? I'm sorry, Adeline. I know your desperation now. What I said at our wedding still stands. If you come back, we can go back to before. I'll be twice as good an

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