The Day I Quit Him (Autumn and Mars) novel Chapter 130

**Chasing Light, Finding Peace – by Rohan Verma**
**Chapter 130**

Hannah King found herself standing face-to-face with Lydia Lopez, her heart pounding fiercely in her chest as a tempest of thoughts swirled chaotically in her mind. “Why on earth would you want to collaborate with me?” she inquired, her voice thick with skepticism, the challenge evident in her tone, as if daring Lydia to explain herself.

For a brief instant, Lydia’s confident facade wavered, revealing a flicker of vulnerability that Hannah had seldom witnessed. It was as if the armor of self-assurance had been breached, exposing a more fragile side of Lydia.

“Well, you see, Autumn is my sister,” Lydia replied, her voice unwavering yet tinged with urgency. “This situation impacts me too, and I can’t simply stand by and watch everything fall apart.”

Hannah raised a skeptical eyebrow, doubt etched across her features. “And how exactly does this concern you?” she pressed, her curiosity piqued despite her reservations.

Lydia’s demeanor shifted, her eyes mirroring a blend of concern and frustration. “I’ve seen how blissful they were together over the years. Now, with Autumn pregnant with Mars’s child, the mere thought of their relationship crumbling is unbearable for me.”

“Crumbled?” Hannah echoed, her expression darkening as the weight of the implication settled heavily upon her shoulders. “Are you genuinely suggesting that if Mars discovers Autumn’s betrayal, he would simply forgive her? Do you honestly believe he’d be that heartbroken?”

Lydia nodded, her conviction steadfast as if she were stating an undeniable truth. “Isn’t it obvious?”

“Why else would he be so devastated?” Lydia gestured toward Mars, who was caught in the midst of chaos, his cries for Autumn thick with pain and longing. A bitter flicker ignited within Hannah’s chest.

What was it about Autumn that rendered her so irreplaceable? What justification could there possibly be for Mars’s forgiveness of her transgressions?

“See? I’m not exaggerating. I’m choosing to keep this under wraps because I don’t want to hurt Mars,” Lydia insisted, her voice firm and resolute, leaving no room for doubt.

“Do you genuinely want to see him suffer?” Hannah instinctively shook her head, the mere thought sending an unsettling shiver down her spine.

“So what’s your plan?” she asked, her curiosity now mingling with a hint of trepidation.

A small, almost mischievous smile crept across Lydia’s face, as if she had just stumbled upon a hidden treasure. “The one who caused the problem should be the one to fix it. Since my sister is the one who created this mess, how about we join forces to persuade her to return to him?”

If anyone else had proposed such a scheme, Hannah would have scoffed and retorted, “You think I’d fall for that?”

But this was Lydia Lopez—her motives were always cloaked in complexity, especially given the tangled history they shared, marked by their contrasting maternal backgrounds.

If Lydia was willing to forge an alliance, it suggested that she had her own hidden agenda. Perhaps the thought of Autumn outshining her was simply unbearable.

Hannah understood the mindset of people like Lydia all too well.

Regardless of how this played out, she was determined not to be the one left holding the short end of the stick. Without a moment’s hesitation, she found herself nodding in agreement.

“When this is all said and done, I want to be with Mars,” she declared, her voice unwavering, a fierce determination burning in her eyes.

Autumn must be completely oblivious to throw away a man like him.

Yet, Hannah wasn’t naive.

Before arriving here, she had caught wind of the whispers: Mars was the business world’s latest rising star.

Tycoons were placing their bets on him, and Cloudbreak Corporation was evolving at an astonishing pace.

Could a man of his caliber truly be worse than the potential suitors her family had lined up for her?

Those men were either wealthy and overweight or strikingly handsome yet nothing more than charming playboys who had been with more women than Hannah had ever encountered.

Hannah had her pride. She wasn’t like that friend she had made overseas, fixated on marrying into a powerful family.

What she truly desired was someone she genuinely liked, who also possessed remarkable talent.

Mars checked every box on her list.

Moreover, he was the one that got away.

“Deal,” she said, sealing their unholy alliance with a sense of finality.

As Lydia observed the fierce determination etched across Hannah’s face, an unexpected pang of annoyance shot through her.

I didn’t realize she was this desperate for Mars.

An unsettling feeling stirred within Lydia, akin to a loyal companion being led away by another.

Even if Autumn was focused on becoming the perfect version of herself, Mars was still a rising star, and he treated her well.

How could I let a perfect backup plan slip through my fingers and end up as someone else’s husband?

With Autumn, it was a different story. That fool was singularly devoted to the Lopez family and to Mars, pouring every ounce of herself into them.

Lydia reaped all the benefits.

She certainly didn’t mind the idea of Autumn marrying Mars.

In fact, it added a thrilling layer of danger to their secret affair.

But if Mars truly ended up with Hannah, everything would change.

The thought sent a shiver down Lydia’s spine, and she lowered her gaze, her mind racing as a plan began to take shape.

“Alright, first things first. We need to devise a way to make Autumn sever ties with the other guy.”

“The funds have been deposited.”

Autumn was momentarily taken aback. She instructed her employees to enjoy themselves before heading back to her office.

The office was adorned exactly to her liking. To keep her ambitions under wraps, she had rarely set foot in it, only catching glimpses through the camera during video calls with her staff.

Now, as she stepped inside, a wave of comfort and relaxation washed over her.

Working for oneself felt entirely different from working under someone else’s thumb.

She sank into the plush chair and spoke to the lawyer on the phone. “Give me the details.”

The lawyer succinctly explained the situation.

After Autumn departed from the Lopez Group, her father scrambled to gather the necessary funds.

It was evident he was desperate for the shares, and it didn’t take long for him to come up with the money.

Following Autumn’s earlier instructions, the lawyer had submitted her signed transfer agreement and resignation letter as soon as the funds arrived.

“Oliver announced the news immediately.”

“The Lopez Group has already posted an official announcement on their website.”

Autumn opened her social media and, sure enough, spotted the hashtag #LopezGroupCEOChange lingering low on the trending list.

Although the Lopez Group had been making headlines lately, it wasn’t exactly a hot startup, so the news didn’t gain much traction.

Her father, however, was making a spectacle of it, posting about it multiple times on his Facebook page. Anyone who needed to know—and even those who didn’t—were already aware.

“Let him be,” Autumn said with a hint of exasperation. “What about the other task I asked you to handle?”

In the tangled web of emotions and ambitions, Hannah King and Lydia Lopez found themselves at a crossroads, united by a common goal yet driven by conflicting desires. As Hannah steeled herself to pursue Mars, the man she believed could offer her the genuine connection she craved, Lydia’s motives began to reveal a darker undercurrent. The tension between them highlighted not only their shared history but also the intricate dance of jealousy and ambition that defined their relationship. With each passing moment, Hannah felt the weight of her choices pressing upon her, knowing that aligning with Lydia was a gamble that could cost her more than just her heart. Yet, her resolve remained firm; she was determined to fight for what she believed was rightfully hers, even if it meant navigating through the chaos that Lydia had orchestrated.

Meanwhile, Autumn Lopez stood on the brink of her own transformation, stepping away from the shadows of her family’s expectations and embracing her newfound independence. The success of her company marked a significant shift, empowering her to reclaim her identity and aspirations, even as the emotional turmoil surrounding her relationship with Mars loomed large. The contrast between Autumn’s burgeoning self-confidence and the manipulative tactics of Lydia served as a poignant reminder of the different paths they were all choosing. As the stakes rose, it became clear that each woman’s journey was intertwined, and the choices they made would ultimately define not just their futures, but the very fabric of their relationships. In the pursuit of light and peace, they would each have to confront their own truths, leading to a reckoning that would change everything.

**What to Expect in Next Chapter?**

In the next chapter of “Chasing Light, Finding Peace,” readers can expect a deepening of the intricate web of relationships that bind Hannah, Lydia, and Autumn. With Hannah now reluctantly allied with Lydia, the stakes are higher than ever. Will they be able to navigate their conflicting motivations and desires while attempting to bring Autumn back to Mars? As Hannah grapples with her growing feelings for Mars, she must confront the reality of her alliance with Lydia, a woman whose cunning and ambition could very well lead to unforeseen consequences. The tension is palpable as Hannah prepares to confront Autumn, not only to persuade her to reconsider her choices but also to wrestle with her own moral compass.

Meanwhile, Autumn is on a path of self-discovery and empowerment, having just taken a bold step in her professional life. Her decision to leave the Lopez Group and establish her own company marks a significant turning point, but it also sets the stage for potential conflict with her sister and Hannah. As Autumn revels in her newfound independence, will she be able to fend off the looming threat posed by Hannah and Lydia’s scheming? The juxtaposition of Autumn’s professional triumphs against the backdrop of personal turmoil raises the stakes for all involved, teasing a confrontation that could change their lives forever. As the chapter unfolds, readers will be left on the edge of their seats, eager to see how these intertwined lives will collide and what sacrifices each character is willing to make in the name of love and ambition.