The Day I Quit Him (Autumn and Mars) novel Chapter 152

Autumn Lopez was seeing red.

She knew Oliver Lopez was shameless.

But she never imagined he could sink this low.

To think he would use her late mother’s grave to threaten her.

Because Autumn’s mother had died young, Oliver had handled all the funeral arrangements.

Legally, since they were husband and wife, him wanting to move his late wife’s grave was perfectly within his rights. Even Autumn, as the daughter, couldn’t say a thing.

“Mars, you tell him that if anything–and I mean anything–happens to my mother’s grave, I will make him regret the day he was born!”

Autumn tried to keep her voice from shaking.

But after so many years together, her husband could see right through her.

Mars clearly thought Oliver’s threat was going too far. His tone was placating, almost pleading. “Autumn, I know you’re furious right now, but please, trust us. We’re not going to do anything to you. Just come to the hospital, okay?”

“Just agree, and I promise Dad will back off. We can be a happy family again, the three of us. How does that sound?”

Mars had never spoken to Autumn in such a subservient tone.

Not even when he was feeling guilty about cheating on her had he been this gentle.

A heavy feeling settled in Autumn’s stomach.

The weirder Mars acted, the more certain she was that something huge was going down at the hospital.

If she went, there was no telling what would happen.

But she had to go.

Oliver Lopez was a man of his word, especially when it came to matters concerning Autumn and her mother.

He never bothered to hide his malice and favoritism.

Autumn was willing to gamble with her own well–being.

But she would never, ever gamble with her late mother’s final resting place.

“What the hell is going on?”

She’d already made her decision, but she wasn’t about to just give in that easily.

She tried to pry some information out of Mars, hoping to get a better handle on the situation and gain some leverage.

“Just stop asking and get over here.”

Mars’s patience was clearly wearing thin.

Seeing that she was wavering, his tone grew impatient. “If you keep dragging this out, I don’t know what Dad will do. Autumn, don’t make this hard for me, okay?”

Autumn almost let out a cold laugh.

She was the one being threatened, but asking what was going on at the hospital was making things hard for him?

What about her and her late mother?

Why wasn’t Mars telling Oliver he was making things hard for him when he pulled a stunt this vile?

Even though she’d already seen Mars’s true colors when she decided to divorce him, Autumn still felt a fresh wave of disappointment.

To think she had spent so many years with a man like this. She felt so wronged, so foolish.

“I get it.”

She had no other choice. “I’m on my way,” she said.

Mars’s voice immediately brightened. “Great, Autumn! I knew you were the best. Hurry over. Call me when you get here, and I’ll come down to meet you.”

Autumn hung up without another word.

She stared at the dark screen of her phone for a good thirty seconds, then took a deep breath. Instead of rushing out, she went straight to Owen Bennett’s study.

Taking another deep breath, Autumn raised her hand and knocked softly on the door.

“Come in.”

Owen’s voice was as steady and magnetic as ever.

Autumn gripped the doorknob and turned it.

The study door opened.

Owen was sitting behind his desk. He looked up at the sound.

Seeing it was Autumn, Owen looked surprised, and yet not surprised at all.

“Is something wrong?”

He had just told her she could come to him if she needed anything, and here she was, knocking on his door with a grim look on her face. Owen wasn’t an idiot; he could guess she was in some kind of trouble.

He stood up before she even had a chance to answer.

“Tell me on the way.”

A warmth flooded Autumn’s eyes, and tears began to fall without warning.

“…”

Owen strode over to her and gently wiped away her tears.

“It’s okay. I’m here.”

“Let’s get going first. Don’t cry, okay?”

Autumn hadn’t wanted to cry.

But when you’re feeling utterly wronged, the slightest bit of kindness can break you.

Autumn had never imagined her own father would threaten her.

She certainly never thought her husband would side with him and join in on the threats.

But what she truly never expected was that when something like this happened, the only person she could rely on was Owen.

In that moment, her affection for Owen soared.

It doesn’t even matter why he’s helping me like this, she thought. Whatever he asks of me in the future, I’ll do it. Anything.

“That old bastard from the Lopez family is threatening me. He wants me to go to the hospital, and if I don’t, he says he’ll move my mom’s grave.”

Though she was on the verge of a breakdown, she hadn’t lost her senses.

So even as the tears kept falling, she instinctively laid out the whole situation for Owen.

Owen’s eyes darkened.

Clearly, he hadn’t expected Oliver could do something so monstrous.

“So, what do you need me to do?”

Owen didn’t just take over and promise to solve everything for her.

From the very beginning of their relationship, he had always offered suggestions, pointing her in a direction but leaving the final choice to her.

“I need you to pull some strings for me. I can’t let a threat like this ever happen again.”

Owen understood immediately.

“Done.”

He patted her head reassuringly. “Leave it to me.”

A warmth spread through Autumn’s chest.

Men like Owen–quiet, effective, and expecting nothing in return–were a rare breed.

Autumn opened her mouth, about to say thank you, but then she remembered his rule. On impulse, she stood on her tiptoes and pressed a quick kiss to his cheek.

Owen froze for a split second.

He lowered his gaze to find Autumn blushing, her eyes darting away from his. A smile slowly spread across his face.

“Now that’s a thank–you I could get used to.”

With that, he led Autumn to the car.

။

Autumn didn’t even process what Owen had said until the car was moving. Her face turned crimson.

For a long time after that, Autumn didn’t dare say another word.

She couldn’t even bring herself to look in his direction.

But as they got closer to the hospital, Autumn finally spoke up. “In a minute… I think I want to go up by myself.”

Owen understood what she meant right away.

“Alright.”

“Call me if you need anything.”

Autumn nodded.

She knew that bringing Owen up with her would solve the problem instantly.

But she was also keenly aware that the Lopez family was her burden, her mess to clean up. She couldn’t keep relying on Owen’s help.

So this time, she chose to face them alone.

Chapter 152

It was time to deal with the huge problem that was the Lopez family, once and for all.

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