The Day I Quit Him (Autumn and Mars) novel Chapter 111

**Chasing Light, Finding Peace – by Rohan Verma**

**Chapter 111**

Within the dimly lit walls of the auction hall, Mars Wright felt an unsettling knot twist in his stomach, a sensation that grew sharper as he scanned the crowd. His eyes locked onto one person: Autumn Lopez. There was something distinctly off about her today, a subtle shift in her usually composed demeanor that tugged at his instincts. What was she hiding behind that carefully crafted exterior? What unspoken thoughts flickered behind her expressive gaze?

As he wrestled with these concerns, Lydia Lopez’s authoritative voice sliced through the ambient chatter, pulling Mars back into the present moment.

“Ladies and gentlemen, we are excited to begin the bidding for this exquisite emerald jewelry set. The opening bid is thirty million dollars.”

Mars’s reaction was immediate and visceral. “Thirty million? Are they completely out of their minds? That’s daylight robbery!” His incredulous outburst shattered the genteel atmosphere, reverberating through the hall like a glass breaking against the floor.

In that instant, the room fell silent. Conversations halted mid-sentence, and a thick tension filled the air as heads turned, eyes wide with a mix of shock and disapproval.

Autumn’s expression darkened, her brows knitting together in irritation as she caught sight of a few onlookers who seemed to revel in the spectacle. Their presence only intensified her frustration, a storm brewing beneath her calm surface.

Realizing that he had unwittingly become the focus of unwanted attention, Mars attempted to muster a sheepish smile, but it faltered under the weight of Autumn’s scornful glare.

A wave of humiliation crashed over him, quickly morphing into a seething anger that ignited within, consuming his ability to think clearly.

“Autumn—” he began, but Lydia, ever attuned to the rising tension, shot him a look that could freeze flames.

Her narrowed eyes conveyed a potent mix of mortification and frustration. This was not how the evening was supposed to unfold. Lydia felt a desire to shrink away, to escape the blinding spotlight that had suddenly turned on her.

What an arrogant fool! Does he think this is a playground? How dare he act so recklessly! If he wants to self-destruct, that’s his choice, but I refuse to be dragged down with him!

“Mars, please, don’t make a scene!” Lydia whispered urgently, her forced smile more a grimace than an expression of goodwill.

He inhaled deeply, desperately trying to regain his composure as he snorted dismissively. Grabbing Lydia’s hand, he led her to a seat along the aisle, positioning himself for an unobstructed view of Autumn’s profile.

As he settled in, a tempest brewed within him at the sight of her so close yet so distant. Frustration bubbled to the surface, and he couldn’t resist the urge to reach out to her.

Lydia, meanwhile, was fully engrossed in the auction, her attention captured by Owen Bennett, who sat prominently in the front row, blissfully unaware of the storm brewing around Mars.

Moments later, as Autumn diverted her attention, her phone buzzed incessantly from within her purse.

She didn’t even need to look to know who was relentlessly messaging her. The thought of engaging with him felt like an insurmountable task, so she opted to ignore it, hoping he would finally take the hint.

But Mars was nothing if not persistent. When his messages went unanswered, he gestured to a server, instructing them to deliver a message.

“The gentleman over there says if you don’t text him back, he’ll come over here.”

Autumn’s heart plummeted.

If circumstances were different, she would have unleashed her fury on Mars right then and there.

Who does he think he is, threatening me like that? Hasn’t he embarrassed himself enough for one evening?

Her gaze swept across the other bidders, the tension in her chest tightening like a vice.

Out there, she was a victim, drawing sympathy from those around her. But if she engaged in yet another public spat with Mars, she risked tarnishing her carefully cultivated reputation. Women in business faced enough hurdles without Mars adding fuel to the fire.

And then there was Owen Bennett, seated just a few rows ahead, a reminder of the stakes involved.

The last thing she wanted was to create a scene in front of him.

With a resigned sigh, Autumn reluctantly retrieved her phone, scrolling through Mars’s barrage of messages.

They were laden with demands, his tone accusatory as he questioned her every move.

He insisted she apologize to Lydia, warning her that if Lydia complained to Oliver or Mrs. Lopez, he wouldn’t come to her defense.

A headache began to throb at her temples.

What gives Mars and the Lopez family the right to act so superior? Are they trying to showcase their ignorance?

Noticing her scrolling, Mars fired off several more texts in rapid succession.

[You need to come over here and switch seats with Lydia right now.]

[And whatever Lydia wants later, you better bid on it as an apology gift.]

[Make Lydia happy, and we can call today even. Otherwise, when Mom and Dad ask, I’ll make sure they hear my side of the story and set things right.]

His fixation on Lydia was suffocating, each message a demand for Autumn to back down.

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