The Day I Quit Him (Autumn and Mars) novel Chapter 158

**Chasing Light, Finding Peace by Rohan Verma**

After Autumn finished pouring her heart out, the dam holding back her tears finally gave way. They cascaded down her cheeks, a release of pent-up emotion that had been building for far too long.

In the small room, the atmosphere shifted; many of the more sensitive souls present felt their own eyes mist over, unable to remain untouched by her vulnerability.

“Don’t cry, honey! They’re not worth your tears!” a voice rang out, the first to offer solace, quickly followed by others who joined in with comforting words and gentle reassurances.

“And remember, you’re pregnant! You can’t let this get to you. Don’t torture yourself over people who clearly don’t care about you. Focus on the ones who do!”

At that moment, a fleeting image of Owen Bennett flickered in Autumn’s mind.

It was strange, really. We haven’t known each other for long, but somehow, in the depths of my heart, he feels like someone I can lean on, someone I can trust without hesitation.

Just having Owen nearby enveloped Autumn in a cocoon of security, a feeling she had not anticipated.

“Thank you, everyone,” she managed to say, her voice thick with emotion.

A hint of embarrassment crept over her. “I’m sorry you all had to witness that. I’m not usually like this,” she added, almost sheepishly.

Laughter erupted in the room, light and warm.

“Girl, you’ve got the patience of a saint! If I had to deal with that kind of injustice, I would’ve lost it by now!”

“Seriously! I’ve got a short fuse. If my dad treated me like that, I’d have burned down our family tree to the roots!”

“You need to stand up for yourself from now on. They only bully you because they know you have a kind heart. The moment you assert yourself, people like them will back off,” another voice chimed in with encouragement.

“Exactly!” Autumn nodded, feeling a surge of determination.

Listening to their heartfelt advice, she felt a flicker of strength ignite within her. “I will.”

The most frustrating part of trying to help someone is when they remain oblivious to their own situation.

Or worse, when you think you’re stepping into a crisis, only to find it’s just a couple’s melodramatic spat, and they turn on you for “ruining their relationship.”

Such incidents had become so common that people had grown colder, more detached.

But seeing Autumn today, her struggles laid bare, stirred something in everyone’s hearts. They were eager to lend a hand, feeling a sense of purpose in supporting her.

The satisfaction of doing something good for someone else fueled their resolve even more.

And naturally, their disdain for Oliver Lopez and his family only intensified.

“Autumn, I’m truly sorry. I had no idea you were enduring so much with the Lopez family…” Mars Wright’s voice was filled with genuine concern. He hadn’t been aware of the extent of her suffering until now.

Or perhaps he had noticed but simply hadn’t cared enough to dig deeper.

“Mars, I got so caught up discussing them that I almost forgot about you,” she said, her tone shifting as she faced him.

Having allies beside her bolstered her confidence.

Autumn had no intention of playing the victim indefinitely.

When you seek help, you can share your story, but you can’t rely solely on others to fix it for you.

So, when she turned her gaze to Mars, her demeanor transformed completely.

“Weren’t you there when he called me? When he threatened to move my mother’s grave if I didn’t show up?”

“Since you chose to be their accomplice, since you chose to hurt your own wife for their sake, what’s with the fake act now?”

The color drained from Mars’s face, his expression shifting to one of panic.

“No, Autumn, I…”

He attempted to explain himself, but the others wouldn’t allow him the chance.

“Scumbag!”

“Yeah, screw you, you damn scumbag!”

It was hard to tell who yelled it first, but soon the room erupted in righteous fury. The tension thickened, palpable in the air as everyone rallied against Mars.

Suddenly, someone grabbed Autumn’s arm and pulled her out of the room with urgency.

Just moments after she exited, chaos erupted inside.

People pinned Mars to the ground, unleashing their pent-up anger on him, while someone shouted, “It’s everyone’s duty to take down a scumbag!”

A laugh escaped Autumn’s lips, a mix of disbelief and relief.

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