Chapter 1

I kept my head down and tightened my grip on the number ticket. In the end, James left, leaving me alone at the courthouse.A voice from the loudspeaker called our number, informing us that it was finally our turn to register our marriage. My eyes stung with tears as I crumpled the ticket and tossed it into the trash.James and I had been together for five years. He proposed two years ago, but somehow, we still haven’t made it official.Just then, my phone rang. It was Mom, her voice filled with excitement and hope.“Well? Have you and James gotten married?”Mom was diagnosed with cancer the year before last, and her health had been declining fast. More than anything, she wanted to live long enough to see me walk down the aisle, happy.I sniffled and mumbled some excuse. There was a pause on the other end, and when she spoke again, her disappointment was painfully clear.“James is busy with work… I understand, I really do…”When I got home, I barely had time to set my keys down

Chapter 2

Two years ago, when the company opened its first branch in Springdale, Grace, one of the senior managers, immediately offered me a position.Back then, James hadn’t started his own company yet, so I wanted us to move to Springdale and settle down there. After all, this was just a mid-sized city, while Springdale was on the coast and ranked among the top-tier cities. There were more opportunities there. However, James said there was no need to move so far or live in a city.Just like back when he proposed, he only showed up with a simple ring. There were no decorations or romantic setup—nothing.When I asked him why he didn’t plan something special, he just brushed it off and said, “There’s no need. You were going to say yes anyway.”Yet, when it came to Paris’s birthday party, he went all out, saying that it was worth the effort.This time, I decided I’d finally live for myself.“My family's in Springdale, Grace. Please put in a referral for me. I’ll get all the application docum

Chapter 3

That dog tried to jump on me the moment he let it loose. I was so scared I bolted straight back into the bedroom and slammed the door shut behind me.It took a while before James finally came in. He slipped his arms around me from behind and whispered, “I’m sorry. I didn’t know you were afraid of dogs. I’ve sent it away.”“Mm.” I gave a quiet, indifferent response.It was only then that I realized James didn’t know me at all.We’d been together for five years, and I could list every one of his preferences without hesitation. However, when it came to me, he knew nothing. On the contrary, he had broken up with Paris eight years ago, and he could still list all her likes and dislikes like it were yesterday. “Don’t be mad, okay?” he said gently in the dark. “I’m free tomorrow. Let’s go get married then.”His voice was soft and affectionate.I had told myself I’d be strong this time—that I wouldn’t give in, but my heart betrayed me again. I thought I’d give him one last chance.T

Chapter 4

A flicker of shock, disbelief, pain, and regret crossed James’s usually composed, handsome face.The tension in the air was obvious. My coworkers picked up on it, and after a few polite goodbyes, they quickly made themselves scarce.“See you at the top, Casey,” someone said.“See you at the top,” I replied.Once everyone had left, I hugged the box holding my things and walked toward the exit.James followed behind me. His voice trembled as he asked, “What did you just say? You want to break up with me?”I stopped walking and turned to face him. He looked stunned, like he couldn’t believe what he’d just heard.I had imagined that moment countless times in my head. Before, I would’ve been terrified or reluctant. However, now that it was really happening, I felt free.I pressed my lips together and gave him a soft smile. “Yeah. I want to break up. Every time we want to get married, you walk away. Did it never occur to you what that might lead to?”James grabbed my hand. His lip

Chapter 5

“Casey, I’m sorry. Things between me and Paris were messy… I get why you’d be upset. Just give me another chance. Let’s pick a day to get married, and I’ll go with you to meet your parents. We’ve been together five years, and we were doing so well. It’d be a shame to throw that away.”I pushed away the necklace he tried to give me and let out a cold laugh. “Who says it’s a shame? It’s not. I’m finally free.”I was done with having a relationship without boundaries—a love where I constantly had to compromise.The next day, I went to pick up the wedding photos, and James insisted on coming with me. Having a free driver wasn’t the worst idea, so I didn’t turn him down.Oddly enough, there were no calls from Paris on the drive over.It was a Monday, so the bridal studio was pretty empty.“When did you take the photos?” James asked carefully.I glanced at him and shrugged. “Six months ago. You didn’t show up, so I did it alone.”Back then, during our fourth attempt at getting marrie

Chapter 6

It was the middle of the night when I set the keys on the table, grabbed my suitcase, and left the city. By dawn, James had called me more times than I could count.I stared at the screen, lighting up with his name, then turned the phone off. I didn’t turn it back on until I was almost home. When I did, I returned one call.“You just left like that? Why wouldn’t you let me see you off? Casey, say something! Didn’t we agree I’d take you to the airport?” James shouted over the phone, his voice hysterical.I looked out the window at the passing scenery and let out a soft smile. “James, like I said, we should part on good terms.”“You–”Just as he was about to speak again, a woman’s pained voice came through the phone.“James, please stop calling her, okay? My stomach hurts so bad...” It was Paris.James snapped, the frustration clear in his voice. “Why are you telling me? Am I Ibuprofen or something?”So, Paris had gone to look for him again. However, this time, she clearly misc

Chapter 7

“Yeah.” I nodded, deciding not to push it anymore.We chatted for a while, and just like Andrew had said, he was a decent guy. He was respectful and sincere—the kind of man you could actually see yourself marrying. However… I sat up a little straighter, not wanting to keep anything from him. I laid all my cards on the table.“Mitchell, you probably don’t know this, but I was in a five-year relationship before this, and it ended a little over six months ago. Late last year, I had an ectopic pregnancy and lost the baby. And my mom has cancer.“If you’re okay with all that, then maybe we can keep seeing each other. No pressure.”That was it.I knew Mom always hoped that one day, before she passed, she’d see me bring someone home, and right now, Mitchell seemed like the best choice I’d ever had.“I already know all that,” he said, lifting his brow with a light smile. “I’ve got a good sense about people. And you? You’re a good woman.”I froze for a second. Knowing how careful Andre

All Chapters of Enough Is Enough: Chapter 1 - Chapter 7