Enough Is Enough

A week before our engagement party, Addison and I had a massive fight. “Just because I have to go with her to play along for this one blind date?” He loosened his tie, his voice laced with its usual casual indifference. “Jenny, don’t be ridiculous.” “I am.” “Fine.” He nodded, his eyes turning cold. “Don’t regret it.” From high school sweethearts to the altar, he’d spent our entire youth absolutely certain that I couldn’t live without him. But he didn’t know. The blind date was just the final spark. I’d been collecting disappointments for a long, long time. This time, I wasn’t turning back.

1 “Her parents are emotionally blackmailing her, saying it would kill them if she didn’t go. She was desperate and had no one else to ask.” Addison leaned against the floor-to-ceiling window, a hint of weariness in his voice. “Jenny, it’s just an act, to help her get through this.” I looked at him. “Addison, I’m calling off the engagement.” He let out a short, dismissive laugh and walked over, reaching out to ruffle my hair. “Aren’t you tired of this trick? How many times has it been? Seven? Eight? Jenny, we’re getting married next Saturday.” I turned my head away, avoiding his touch. “Nothing is set in stone. An engagement can be broken.” “Alright.” He stared at me for a couple of seconds, then dropped his hand. “As you wish. Just don’t regret it.” “I won’t.” I turned, grabbing my bag, just as the door opened and Zoe walked in. Her eyes were red-rimmed, a plane ticket clutched in her hand. “Addison, I’ve changed the flight. It’s for nine tomorrow morning… I’m still so scared it won’t work. What if her parents…” Addison didn’t answer, his gaze still locked on me. In the past, I would have been firing off sarcastic questions by now. You’re going home with her to play house, so where does that leave me, your actual fiancée? But after all this back and forth, I was just tired. So tired. I started to leave, but Zoe stepped sideways to block my path. “Jenny, please don’t misunderstand. Addison and I are just playing a part, really.” She bit her lip, looking fragile and pitiable. “My hometown is very conservative, and my parents aren’t in good health. This guy they’ve set me up with… they picked him out so carefully. I had no other choice but to ask Addison to pretend to be my boyfriend…” Her voice dropped to a whisper. “Think of it as… a favor, for how my parents looked after him when he was younger…” I couldn’t stop myself. “Oh, and does ‘playing a part’ require you to post pictures on social media with your arm linked through his?” “Does ‘playing a part’ mean you call him in the middle of the night, crying that you can’t sleep?” “Does ‘playing a part’ involve buying him underwear and asking if he likes the style?” “Does ‘playing a part’ mean you just happen to interrupt every single time we’re trying to discuss our wedding plans?” I took a step closer. “Are you incapable of taking care of yourself, or do you just have no common sense? Since you know it’s fake, do I need to teach you how to spell the words ‘keep your distance’?” Zoe’s face went white. Tears instantly welled in her eyes, and she lowered her head, her shoulders trembling slightly. “Jenny.” Addison stepped forward, pulling a tissue from the box and handing it to her, his brow deeply furrowed. “Did you have to be so harsh? She has nowhere else to turn.” Zoe’s tears slid silently down her cheeks. The quiet living room was filled with nothing but her choked, suppressed sobs. Suddenly, none of it seemed to matter anymore. It was all so pointless. I turned and walked out of that suffocating space.

2 I went home and slept like the dead until morning. Waking up, I fumbled for my phone. The screen was lit up with a new post from Zoe. [Homeward bound. A little nervous to be going back, but thank you for your courage and support. It gives me the strength to face this. Wishing for the best.] The picture was of a corner in an airport lounge. Two coffee cups sat side-by-side. On the wrist next to one of them, elegant and familiar, was the limited-edition watch I’d given Addison. Just then, the screen lit up again. A text from Addison. “Send me the final designs for the venue.” He’d spent the entire night flying to someone else’s hometown a thousand miles away, and only now did he remember the wedding we were supposed to be having. I stared at his profile picture. It was still the one of us from last year, on a snowy mountaintop. His arm was around me, his smile full of life and confidence. He’d used it for so long. My finger hovered over the screen for a few seconds before I opened my settings and dragged his contact into my block list. Downstairs for breakfast, my mom took one look at me. “You look terrible. What’s wrong?” I kept my head down, sipping my milk. “Didn’t sleep well.” “It must be pre-wedding jitters,” she said, pushing a plate with a fried egg toward me. “Honestly, Addison is such a good man. He’s made his company so successful, and at such a young age. And you, you’ve pushed back your studio’s expansion plans just to fit his schedule, pulling all-nighters to sort out wedding details. It breaks my heart to see you so exhausted.” I put down my glass. “Mom, I’ve decided on a location for the new studio. It’s in North Crest.” My mom blinked. “North Crest? That’s so far… I thought you and Addison bought your house in the South District?” “I can separate my career and my marriage.” My voice was calm. “Mom, this is a huge opportunity for my studio. If the contract is solid, I’m heading over next week to get things started.” She finally sighed. Just then, my phone buzzed. It was my best friend, Chloe, asking if I wanted to go try on some couture dresses. “Go on, have some fun,” my mom said, patting my arm. “You’ve been working so hard. You deserve a break.” Half an hour later, I was at the couture bridal salon. Chloe told me to pick out some accessories first. I was looking at a necklace when I heard a familiar voice from the VIP room next door. “Mr. Rhodes, I thought you were here to pick up your custom suit. You seem a little distracted.” “She blocked me.” It was Addison, his voice tight with irritation. “Who did? Who’s got that kind of power over you?” “Who else? The one at home,” he said, his tone laced with weary resignation. “Ah, Miss Sinclair,” the man laughed. “To be honest, with a personality like hers, you’re the only one who could handle her.” Addison let out a low grunt. “She’s the one I chose, what can I do? Spoil her, I guess.” “What was it this time?” “I’m helping Zoe deal with a blind date back in her hometown.” “That’s it?” The man sounded incredulous. “Miss Sinclair is taking that way too seriously. But really, if you want a wife who won’t cause you trouble, you should find someone like Zoe. Gentle, considerate, knows when to be vulnerable… she wouldn’t give you so much grief.” I didn’t listen to the rest. I took the necklace and went back to the fitting room. But as soon as I walked in, I saw Chloe arguing with Zoe, who was dressed in the salon’s staff uniform. She was like a bad penny, always turning up. Zoe was working here as a part-time consultant. “The size is wrong! This isn’t the dress we ordered!” Zoe looked flustered. “I’m so sorry, the two styles are so similar, I must have grabbed the wrong one…” “So exchange it! What do you mean you can’t?” When Zoe saw me, her face lit up as if she’d found her savior. “Jenny, it was my mistake, but once the dress leaves the workshop, it can’t be returned. If you cancel the order, the cost will be deducted from my salary, and I’ll lose my job.”

3 I sat down, my face a blank mask. “Are you confused? You made a mistake. Why should I be the one to bear the risk?” “I’m begging you. Just this once, for old times’ sake…” She looked pained. “I’m not like you guys. This job is really important to me…” “If it’s so important, how could you make such a mistake? And now that you have, why are you trying to guilt-trip me?” My voice was hard. Chloe chimed in. “Exactly. Either refund the money or make a new one.” It was clearly Zoe’s fault, yet she acted as if she were the one being bullied. “You rich young ladies… can’t you have a little compassion?” She wiped furiously at her eyes, then suddenly grabbed the couture gown and ran out of the room. She nearly collided with a group of people passing by the door. “Zoe?” one of them recognized her. “What’s wrong? Who’s been giving you a hard time?” Zoe shook her head, but her tear-filled eyes found Addison in the crowd. “What’s going on?” Addison asked, walking over. “She grabbed the wrong dress and won’t give us a refund,” Chloe explained, stepping out of the fitting room. “It wasn’t on purpose,” Zoe mumbled, her head bowed. “We’re all friends here, what’s the big deal?” someone in the group said, trying to smooth things over. “You two are heiresses. Do you really care about one dress?” “Care?” Chloe let out a bitter laugh. “This was a dress by Jenny’s favorite designer, and she got the wrong one!” He walked closer to me, his voice low. “Alright, is it really worth getting this upset? She didn’t do it on purpose. If you’re angry with me, fine, but don’t take it out on her. It’s not easy for her, working a job like this.” “Does the great Addison Rhodes believe that whoever is weaker is always in the right? You think I’m taking my anger out on her? Are you blind, or do you just refuse to see? The one who made the mistake is now the victim, and I’m the one being aggressive?” “Forget it, Addison,” Zoe sniffled, gently tugging on his sleeve. “I’ll use my own salary to refund Miss Sinclair. Don’t make things difficult…” Seeing her act, a fire ignited in my chest. “Who are you to make that decision?! You mess up at your job, and now you’re playing the martyr? Who gave you the right?” “Jenny.” Addison’s voice hardened. “That’s enough. Don’t go too far.” He turned to Zoe. “Contact headquarters and get this expedited. I’ll cover the costs.” “Don’t bother,” I said, picking up my bag. “If the great philanthropist wants to help, be my guest. Chloe, we’re leaving.” “Tch, what a temper,” a low voice muttered behind me.

4 Chloe and I walked through the streets as evening fell. “I’m sorry, Jenny,” she said, frustrated with herself. “I should have just gone straight to the manager.” “Why should you have?” I didn’t slow my pace. “Just because she knows how to cry, everyone is supposed to forgive her mistakes?” “Besides,” I stopped walking. “Yesterday, I called off the engagement with Addison.” Chloe walked beside me in silence. “You don’t believe me?” She sighed. “Honestly, Jenny, no one believes you’d actually leave Addison.” “And besides,” she looked at me, “can you really let him go?” In the car on the way home, Chloe’s question echoed in my mind. Can I really let him go? As we neared my house, I asked the driver to stop. I wanted to walk. The first time I met Addison was on the corner of this very street. That year, my family’s business had failed. Creditors were at our door, and I was forced to transfer to a new school. I was an outcast, always alone. One day after school, a few local thugs cornered me, demanding “protection money.” It was Addison who stepped in. He stood in front of me, clearly nervous himself but trying his best to look calm. After that, he was always around. The upheaval in my family had made me prickly and defensive. I pushed him away, told him to leave me alone, but he’d just laugh and stick around. He told me, “Jenny, you’re actually kind of cute when you’re being fierce.” Idiot, I thought to myself. In high school, a girl started a rumor that I was promiscuous. Addison tracked down the source and, in front of the entire class, threw down the evidence he’d gathered. “If anyone ever dares to slander Jenny Sinclair again, just try me,” he’d said, his eyes so fierce the girl burst into tears on the spot. After the crowd dispersed, I looked at him. “Who asked you to meddle?” “I’m going to meddle,” he’d said with a defiant lift of his chin, full of the bravado of a teenage boy. “Your business is my business.” I think that was the moment my heart skipped a beat. That day, I reached out and straightened his wrinkled collar. Our hands brushed against each other, and from that moment on, they were never separated. Until a year ago, when Zoe appeared. She was the daughter of Mr. Lin, the Rhodes’ long-time family steward. After graduating from college, she wanted to make a life for herself in the city and was temporarily staying with Addison’s family. The first time I felt something was wrong was the night Addison celebrated landing a major contract. I brought a bottle of wine to his apartment, planning to surprise him, but I heard a woman’s laughter from inside. I pushed the door open to see Zoe in the kitchen, wearing an apron, bustling about. “Addison, congratulations! I made a few of your favorite dishes. They’re not as good as Jenny’s, of course, but… it’s a little something from me.” “Thanks, Zoe. I appreciate it,” Addison said. A nameless anger flared inside me. I put down the wine. “What do you mean, not as good as mine? You cook what you cook. Why do you have to put me down to do it?” “Jenny, you’ve misunderstood!” she stammered, looking completely flustered when she saw me. Addison told her to go back to the guest room. “What is there to be jealous about?” he said, closing the door and pulling me into his arms. “I don’t like her.” “Mr. Lin isn’t well, and it’s not easy for her, starting out here on her own. My mom told me to let her stay for a while and to look out for her.” He said it would just be for a little while. But that “little while” became the period of our most frequent arguments. Zoe always seemed to appear whenever Addison and I were alone. Her computer would be broken and she’d need help, or she’d have a problem at work she needed advice on, or she’d be sick and need someone to take care of her. The moment I showed any displeasure, she would get teary-eyed, lower her head, and quietly walk away. To any outsider, it looked like I was bullying her. Even Addison thought I was overreacting. “It’s all small stuff. What’s the big deal about helping her out? I don’t like her, so what are you so worried about?” But it just felt wrong. She would call when Addison and I had an appointment to look at wedding rings, claiming a pipe had burst at home, sounding panicked and in desperate need of Addison’s help. She would have a sudden bout of gastroenteritis, requiring Addison to take her to the hospital, leaving me waiting alone at the restaurant we’d booked. She would ask Addison to help her edit her resume, and would even walk casually into his study with a plate of fruit while we were on a video call. Everyone told me not to be so petty. She was having a hard time. He was just helping. But I couldn’t get over it. I fought with him, gave him the silent treatment, broke up with him. But every time we were apart, I would toss and turn at night, pathetically crawling back, even trying to change myself, to be more “understanding.” Chloe was right. I couldn’t let him go. I really, truly couldn’t. Fifteen years of shared history were woven into my very bones. Every time I tried to tear it away, the pain was excruciating. I was afraid of the pain, so I chose to give in, again and again. Until last week. My studio was competing for a major project, and a rival was playing dirty. I was stressed out of my mind and tried to call him for advice. I called him countless times. No answer. I battled through it alone until late into the night, managing to avert the crisis. Only later did I find out that he had spent that evening helping Zoe run through a mock Q&A for her blind date back home. He didn’t even know what I had been through. In that moment, I suddenly felt that leaving… might not be so hard after all.