The Day I Quit Him (Autumn and Mars) novel Chapter 15

Chapter 15

“The CEO of the Bennett Group?”

The words echoed through the private room, leaving everyone present utterly stunned. This was no ordinary visitor—this was the man who controlled the economic destiny of Grand City, a titan whose influence stretched across the entire nation.

What could possibly bring him here?

In an instant, all thoughts of Autumn and Lydia Lopez vanished from the group’s minds. The atmosphere shifted palpably as hushed whispers broke out, each person debating whether they should approach and greet the illustrious CEO.

Lydia noticed the sudden shift in attention away from her. Even Mars Wright, who had been her constant companion, barely spared her a glance now. Her cheeks puffed out in a pout of frustration. “Mars, why would the CEO of the Bennett Group just show up here out of nowhere?” she asked, her voice tinged with annoyance.

Mars shot her a dismissive look, clearly uninterested in entertaining her question. Before he could respond, a man standing nearby, his face stretched in an ingratiating smile, eagerly jumped in. “Why else? He’s obviously here for Mars!”

The man’s words sparked a ripple of excitement. “Cloudbreak Corporation, Mars’s company, is booming right now. The Bennett Group CEO must have caught wind of that. If these two giants join forces, it’s a win-win for both sides!”

“Exactly! How else do you explain him showing up after Mars reserved the entire club? It’s clear he came specifically to see Mars,” another chimed in.

Caught up in the flattery, Mars’s ego swelled noticeably. He straightened his posture and adopted an air of casual arrogance. “Keep your voices down. Even if the Bennett Group wants to partner with us, I still have to weigh the benefits. It all depends on whether it fits our business strategy.”

“No kidding! Every single one of Mars’s projects at Cloudbreak has been a massive success. Everyone knows Mars is the man!” someone else added enthusiastically.

“Mars has the Midas touch! You’ve got to share some of your secrets with us one day. We’re just hoping to get a small piece of that magic,” another voice joked, drawing laughter.

Despite the praise, Mars’s smile faltered for a moment. Only he knew the truth beneath the surface: Cloudbreak’s success wasn’t his alone. It was Autumn’s sharp intuition and unwavering support that had guided every major decision.

Autumn possessed an uncanny ability to read the market. Every project Cloudbreak had launched had been carefully vetted and selected by her. In the beginning, Mars had thought her choices were reckless, but with the Lopez Group backing her, he had no choice but to trust her judgment.

The result was explosive growth for Cloudbreak, earning it a reputation as the new dark horse in the business world.

Since then, Mars had left the tough decisions to Autumn, serving primarily as the company’s public face. In reality, at least eighty or ninety percent of Cloudbreak’s achievements were thanks to her.

The group’s unrelenting praise felt like a series of sharp slaps, snapping Mars out of his self-satisfied haze.

“We’ll see, haha, we’ll see,” Mars said, waving off their compliments with a forced laugh. “First, let’s find out if Mr. Bennett is still here. Since we’re all at the same club, it’d be rude not to say hello.”

The others eagerly agreed, ready to follow his lead.

Lydia reached out to link her arm with Mars’s, but he deftly avoided her touch.

She looked up, startled. “Mars?”

Hadn’t she always accompanied him as his date to these kinds of gatherings? Because she bore a slight resemblance to Autumn, outsiders often assumed she was Mrs. Wright, Mars’s wife. In reality, she was his sister-in-law, but that distinction was a secret few knew.

Lydia thrived on these moments when she was mistaken for “Mrs. Wright.” It stroked her vanity in a way nothing else could.

“Mr. Bennett is different from the others,” Mars said quietly. “If he finds out who you really are in relation to your sister, it won’t leave a good impression.”

“Just be patient. I’ll take you next time. Wait for me here, okay?”

Lydia’s eyes hardened, her anger bubbling beneath the surface, but she swallowed it down.

“I’ve never met the CEO of the Bennett Group before! Mars, please take me with you. I’m begging you,” she pleaded, hoping a little whining would soften his resolve.

But this time, Mars was unusually firm. His face darkened, though his tone remained calm but resolute. “Behave, Lydia.”

The tension was palpable, and the others noticed it immediately. They stepped in to smooth things over.

“I heard the Bennett Group CEO isn’t interested in women. He hasn’t had a female assistant in years. Lydia, you should just wait here for us.”

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