When Love is a Question Mark
Chapter 118: Trish Watson

Chapter 118: Trish Watson

Trish Watson came from a small neighborhood on the outskirts of the city, where her family was barely scraping by. Her father had passed away when she was young, and from that point on, her mother had taken on the responsibility of raising her alone. They didn’t have much, but her mother was her biggest cheerleader, always believing that her daughter was meant for something big.

As Trish grew older, she gained attention wherever she went. With her sharp mind and natural beauty, she quickly became the campus belle in school. Boys noticed her, and girls envied her, always whispering about her as she walked by. Despite the attention, she only had one real dream—to become a famous actress.

But there was one problem: Trish’s talent in acting and singing was only average. She could carry a tune, and she could play a part well enough, but she wasn’t outstanding. She attended audition after audition, giving it her all, hoping for a break, but the callbacks never came.

Her mother never once told her to quit. Despite their lack of money, she worked double shifts and took on extra jobs just to support Trish’s dreams. Trish knew how much her mother was sacrificing for her. Every day, she felt the weight of her mother’s hope, pushing her to try harder.

Then, one day, everything changed. She finally received a call offering her a lead role in a new movie. This wasn’t just any movie—it was one with high expectations, one that could easily become a blockbuster. When she told her mother, they both cried, hugging each other in the cramped little kitchen that had seen so many dreams.

"This is it, Mom," Trish whispered, her voice shaking. "When this movie comes out, I’ll make sure you never have to work another day. I’ll take care of everything."

Her mother just smiled, brushing a tear from her cheek. "I always knew you’d make it, sweetheart. You were born to shine."

From that moment, Trish threw herself into training. She attended every acting, singing, and dancing session they scheduled for her. She practiced her lines until she knew them by heart, rehearsing late into the night. Her hard work started paying off; they’d already filmed a few scenes, and everyone seemed pleased with her performance.

Each night, she’d come home and tell her mother about the day’s shoot. She could see the pride in her mother’s eyes, and it made every grueling hour worth it.

But just as her dreams seemed within reach, everything fell apart.

One afternoon, her phone rang. She saw the director’s name on the screen, and a thrill of excitement shot through her. She answered eagerly, expecting good news.

"Trish," the director’s voice came through, flat and distant. "I’m afraid we won’t be needing you anymore. We found a new actress for the lead role."

Trish felt her heart plummet. "What? But... I’ve already shot some of the scenes. You can’t just—"

"It’s already decided," he cut her off. "You’ll be compensated for your time, but don’t come back to the set."

The line went dead, leaving Trish standing in stunned silence, the words ringing in her ears. Her heart felt like it had shattered into pieces.

Without thinking, she bolted out of the house, desperate to understand why this was happening. Her mother, sensing something was wrong, called after her, but Trish couldn’t stop. She needed answers.

Her mother followed, worry etched into her face as she ran after her. "Trish! Wait! Talk to me, sweetheart!"

But Trish was too lost in her own world, and it wasn’t until she heard her mother’s voice getting closer that she slowed down, stopping in the middle of the road. She turned, her eyes wild and confused.

Just then, she heard the screech of tires. Before she could react, her mother threw herself forward, pushing Trish out of the way.

There was a terrible thud, followed by silence.

Trish scrambled to her feet, her heart pounding as she watched her mother lying in the road. A small crowd gathered, some people gasping, others murmuring in horror. The driver, a young man in a taxi, looked pale and shaken as he stepped out, his hands trembling.

"I tried to stop," he whispered, his face stricken. "I didn’t see her... I didn’t..."

People rushed to help, calling an ambulance and lifting her mother into the taxi. They hurried to the hospital, Trish clinging to her mother’s hand the entire way, praying she’d be alright.

The doctors said her mother’s injuries weren’t life-threatening, but she’d need surgery. Trish was relieved, but then they gave her the bill, and her stomach twisted. She had no way of paying for it.

Without another choice, she returned to the studio, her face streaked with tears and her clothes disheveled. She demanded to see the director, hoping he’d change his mind or at least explain why he’d cast her aside.

He looked at her with cold eyes, his expression indifferent. "We found a better actress," he said simply. "You weren’t cut out for this role. Now, if you don’t mind, I have work to do."

Desperation clawed at her. "At least give me the money you promised. I need it for my mom’s surgery."

After some arguing, he finally agreed, handing her a check. She took it without another word, heading toward the hospital. But as she walked out, she overheard two crew members whispering to each other.

"Did you hear?" one of them murmured. "The new lead actress is the director’s girlfriend."

Trish’s heart sank. All this time, she’d thought it was her fault, that she hadn’t been good enough. But it was never about her talent. She’d been replaced because of a connection she didn’t have, because someone else had played dirty.

In that moment, something inside her broke. She’d sacrificed so much, worked so hard, only to lose it all to people who didn’t play fair. She hated the industry that had robbed her of her dreams.

Her mother recovered quickly, but the spark in Trish’s eyes had faded. She went to more auditions, but her heart wasn’t in it anymore. The same people, the same unfair tactics—it was like a wall she couldn’t break through.

Weeks passed, and Trish began to lose hope. She doubted if her dream was worth the pain anymore.

One day, just as she was about to give up, she received a call that would soon change her life.