All Chapters of REJECTED BY LOVE: Chapter 71 - Chapter 80

The excitement in the dressing room at the Prestige Theatre is palpable from ten blocks away. It is opening night and costumes and makeup are being adjusted, final touches are being made, and the air is thick with anticipation. In the midst of this, Mary Lou sits at her vanity, carefully applying her makeup, when she catches a glimpse of Charlotte approaching her through the mirror. She lets out a sigh of exasperation.“Mary Lou,” Charlotte calls out in a surprisingly friendly tone, a wide smile on her face. “I just wanted to wish you the best of luck tonight.”Mary Lou turns to face her, wary but polite. “Thank you, Charlotte. That means a lot.”“You’ve worked really hard, and it shows. I’m sure you’ll do great in your role, even if it’s a minor one,” Charlotte says as she steps even closer, her smile unwavering.Mary Lou’s eyes narrow slightly. She knows Charlotte well enough now to detect the underlying barb in her words. “I appreciate that, Charlotte. We all have to start somewhere

But for the sterile smell of antiseptic that permeates the air and the soft hum of machines providing a constant background noise to her conversation with Stanley, Eloise would be doubting that she is truly in hospital. Her husband, from the moment they made it into the emergency room had demanded for the most private of suites for his wife and even chastised the nurse who took them into one with dirty sheets on the bed. In those moments, Eloise found herself falling in love with him anew. Now, she lies in the hospital bed, looking pale but alert, while Stanley sits beside her, holding her hand tightly.The doctor enters the room and stands at the foot of the bed with a reassuring smile on his face. "Mrs. Bradshaw, the good news is that you and the baby are both stable. There's no sign of any serious injury from the fall. However, we do want to keep you here for a few days for observation, just to be safe.""Thank you, doctor," Eloise says with a nod, relief mingling with the anxiety l

In typical fashion of an upper class woman who is aware she is being watched by the rest of the city, Phyllis Bradshaw steps out of her sleek black town car. Her high heels click purposefully on the pavement as she strides toward the hospital entrance. She is dressed impeccably in a tailored, emerald green suit that complements her perfectly coiffed blonde hair and tasteful pearl necklace. Her posture is straight, her chin held high, so that there is no head she passes by that does not turn to give her a second look.Nurses and patients alike glance at her with a mix of admiration and curiosity, but Phyllis pays them no mind. She is here for a purpose, and nothing will distract her from it. She reaches Eloise’s room, pausing briefly to compose herself before entering.Inside, Eloise is sitting up in bed, looking pale but alert. She manages a weak smile when she sees her mother-in-law.“Phyllis,” Eloise greets her, her voice warm but tired. “It’s nice to see you.”Phyllis’s smile is ti

Mary Lou walks into the classroom at the actor’s studio with her shoulders slumped and her eyes fixed on the floor. Although the room is abuzz wth conversations as it always is, she is too preoccupied with her own thoughts to notice. As she takes her seat, she lets out a deep sigh, her mind still reeling from her encounter with Phyllis.Aaron spots her from across the room and quickly makes his way over. "Hey, Mary Lou!" he calls out cheerfully as he drops into the seat next to her. "You won't believe what happened this morning. Charlotte tried to—""Hi, Aaron," Mary Lou cuts him off, her voice lacking its usual enthusiasm.Aaron frowns slightly, noticing her somber mood. "Hey, are you okay? You seem a bit off."Mary Lou forces a smile. "I'm fine. Just a lot on my mind."Aaron leans in, concern evident in his eyes. "Come on, Mary Lou, I know you better than that. What's really going on?"She hesitates, her gaze drifting to the floor. "It's nothing, Aaron. Really.""Please, Mary Lou. Y

Eliza and Fay arrive at the hospital with bright smiles, a basket full of Eloise’s favorite treats and an air of joy and companionship that immediately lifts Eloise’s spirits. "Look what we brought!" Fay says, holding up the basket as they walk into the room. "A little bit of sunshine to brighten your day." Despite being weary from sleeping on a hospital bed, Eloise smiles warmly at her friends."You two are the best. Come in, sit down." They settle into the room and immediately fall into their usual pattern of chatting and laughing. Fay shares funny stories about her latest adventures, and Eliza talks about her upcoming wedding. The conversation is so light and so freeing that for a while, Eloise forgets her worries. Soon, the afternoon turns into evening and the three friends continue to enjoy each other’s company. Fay picks out a book from the basket and begins reading aloud. Her delivery heavily relies on animated versions of what she imagines the characters sound like, cracking