The Day I Quit Him (Autumn and Mars) novel Chapter 137

**TITLE: Chasing Light, Finding Peace by Rohan Verma**
**Chapter 137**

No one could have anticipated the storm that was about to engulf the Lopez household on that fateful day.

Mrs. Lopez was the first to breach the fragile calm, her instincts surging as she stumbled upon a sight that would haunt her: her beloved daughter, Lydia, sprawled on the floor, injured and vulnerable.

“Lydia? Oh my God, Lydia, are you okay?” she exclaimed, her voice quivering with a potent mix of fear and fierce maternal instinct. The panic in her tone was palpable, echoing through the room like a siren’s wail.

The urgency of her cry jolted Oliver from his daze, cutting through the haze that had clouded his mind. His heart raced as he strode over to Mars, who stood frozen, shock etched on his face like a statue carved from ice. “What the hell is wrong with you? How could you hurt Lydia?” he demanded, his voice low but simmering with barely contained rage, each word dripping with disbelief.

In the past, Oliver had often dismissed Lydia’s tearful claims about Mars, convinced that her dramatics were mere fabrications spun from her vivid imagination. He had clung to the belief that Mars, with his charm and charisma, truly cared for Lydia and would never inflict harm upon her, especially not for the sake of another woman.

But now, as he stood there, grappling with the shocking reality before him, Oliver felt as though the ground had crumbled beneath his feet. Lydia had a flair for the dramatic, often turning minor grievances into grand productions. She reveled in being the center of attention, throwing tantrums that could rival those of a toddler, especially when things didn’t go her way.

Initially, he had brushed aside her claims, labeling them as yet another episode of her theatrical performance. Yet, never in his wildest dreams had he imagined that Mars would actually dare to strike her, particularly not in his presence.

His piercing gaze bore into Mars, disbelief washing over him like a cold wave, as if he were seeing his son-in-law for the very first time.

The shove he delivered snapped Mars back to reality. Realizing the weight of his actions, he coughed awkwardly, struggling to find the right words to express his remorse. “Dad, I didn’t mean to…”

He attempted to step closer to Lydia, concern etched across his features, but Mrs. Lopez, fierce and protective as a lioness, pushed him away with a force that left no room for argument.

“Mars, I am beyond disappointed in you!” she exclaimed, her voice rising with each word, a storm of emotions brewing within her.

“Did you really think that just because we’ve been kind to you, you could hurt my daughter without facing any consequences?”

It was evident that Mrs. Lopez held Lydia in a fierce embrace of love that could ignite a fire. The sight of her daughter in pain transformed her into a protective mama bear, ready to defend her cub at all costs.

Mars stood there, completely at a loss, caught in a web of guilt and shame, torn between the urge to apologize and the instinct to flee from the storm he had created.

In a moment of desperation, he glanced toward Autumn, seeking her support, but she merely met his gaze with a smirk that threatened to escape her lips.

Do these people genuinely believe I’m that naïve?

She scoffed internally, her eyes narrowing on Mars as she asked, “What was Lydia about to say?”

“Did you lash out at her because she was on the verge of revealing one of your dirty little secrets?”

Amidst the chaos, Autumn’s question sliced through the air like a shard of ice, freezing the atmosphere in the room.

Lydia, momentarily forgetting her tears, rolled her eyes dramatically, almost fainting in her mother’s embrace, a display that only heightened the tension.

Mars shook his head in a panic. “No, that’s not it, Autumn! I was just…”

As the realization dawned on him that his secret might soon be exposed, he shot Lydia a venomous glare, the weight of betrayal heavy in the air.

This entire debacle was her fault for creating such a scene in the first place.

Not only was she oblivious to her own actions, but she was also on the brink of making everything much worse.

He had clearly been too lenient with Lydia. She was utterly useless—not only did she fail to assist him, but she actively dragged him down into this mess!

Oliver noticed the shift in Mars’s demeanor; he felt the same frustration simmering within him, bubbling just beneath the surface.

He had once believed Lydia was clever, adept at wielding her charm to keep a man’s affections.

But witnessing her behavior today, Oliver realized he had backed the wrong horse.

No man would ever genuinely love a woman who was this unreasonable and demanding.

It was no wonder Mars had sought solace in someone else’s arms today.

What man doesn’t stray? After all, hadn’t Mars cheated on Autumn with Lydia while still married?

How could this girl be so oblivious?

If Mars were truly a saint, she wouldn’t have even stood a chance with him.

“Enough!”

Finally, Oliver’s voice broke through the suffocating tension. He shot a sharp look at Mars but ultimately chose to align himself with both him and Lydia, the lines of loyalty blurring in the heat of the moment.

Turning his attention to Autumn, his eyes brimmed with impatience. “Are you going to keep this up until you’ve turned our home completely upside down? Your sister is hurt, and instead of showing some concern, you’re grilling everyone? Autumn, what kind of sister behaves like this?”

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