The Day I Quit Him (Autumn and Mars) novel Chapter 13

Chapter 13

The music that had once filled the lounge outside had abruptly stopped, leaving an eerie silence that made Autumn’s frantic knocking sound all the more desperate and piercing in the stillness.

“Is anyone there?” she called out, her voice trembling slightly.

“Hello?”

She pounded on the door repeatedly, hope dwindling with every unanswered knock. The silence on the other side was deafening.

Frustration bubbled up inside her like a storm. Her phone, which she had accidentally kicked beneath the sofa, was now out of reach, cutting off any chance of contacting the outside world.

Her hand began to throb from the repeated banging, but Autumn refused to give up. Spotting a bottle of hand soap on the nearby counter, she grabbed it, using the hard plastic as a makeshift hammer to strike the doorknob.

Despite her desperate efforts, the handle and lock remained immovable, as solid and unyielding as stone. After several frantic attempts, she was left exhausted and defeated, the lock not even budging.

“Is anyone out there?” she shouted, her voice cracking with desperation.

With a final burst of energy, she slammed her fist against the door several more times, but the only reply was cold, unbroken silence.

Turning away from the door, Autumn’s gaze landed on the window. A flicker of hope sparked within her. If she screamed loud enough, surely someone on the street below or in a nearby suite would hear her.

Taking a deep breath, she leaned out and shouted for help, her voice echoing into the night air. After each yell, she paused, straining her ears for any sign of a response.

But for ten long minutes, no answer came.

Instead, a sickening sense of despair settled deep in her chest, growing heavier with each passing moment.

Her strength gave out, and she slowly slid down to the floor, the coolness of the tiles doing little to soothe her rising panic.

“Don’t waste your energy.”

The sudden, sweet, and melodic voice floated from just beyond the door, chilling Autumn to the bone despite its beauty. There was a venomous edge to the words that made her shiver.

“Mars booked the entire place for tonight. It’s just us here. And since everyone knows Mars is the one teaching you a lesson, no one on the staff will come to rescue you, even if they hear you scream. So, do yourself a favor, my dear sister — stop trying.”

Autumn dragged herself upright, pressing her palm against the cold wood. “Lydia, why are you doing this? What did I ever do to you?”

Confusion and hurt twisted inside her. Though they weren’t related by blood, Autumn had embraced Lydia as family from the very beginning, loving her as if she were her own sister. Years ago, even Mars had grown jealous, complaining that she treated Lydia better than she treated him.

So why would Lydia betray her like this? And worse, shamelessly get involved with her fiancé?

Did Lydia have no sense of shame at all?

“What have you done to me?” Autumn whispered, her voice trembling.

Lydia scoffed, her tone laced with bitter contempt. “What have *you* ever done for me, Autumn?”

“You think I should be grateful just because you let me have my way and spoiled me all these years? You really think I didn’t know what you were up to?”

Autumn froze, her heart pounding. “What… what do you mean?”

They were family. Why would Lydia harbor any hidden agenda toward her own stepsister?

“Oh, don’t play dumb! You’ve always been so competitive, so ambitious. You had to be number one in every exam, mastering every instrument… everyone adored you.”

“And me? I was just a shadow beside you. People always praised you for being perfect — excelling without a real mother, living under your stepmom’s roof.”

“Don’t think I didn’t see through it. You did all of that on purpose — to make me look bad, to spite me.”

“My mother was nothing but kind to you, but you were secretly trying to outshine me, stealing every bit of attention. Autumn, do you even realize how sick I am of you? Every time I had to pretend to be the loving sister, it made me want to throw up.”

Autumn’s eyes widened in shock.

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