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.

Owen didn’t elaborate, merely smiling and shaking his head. “Good thing for him, he won’t have to worry about that for much longer.”

“Was today’s revenge to your liking?”

Autumn still felt a lingering strangeness in his words, but since he didn’t seem inclined to clarify, she let it go.

“Perfectly,” he replied.

Autumn chimed in, “That old saying rings true. The most primitive methods are always the most satisfying.”

She had countless ways to get back at that family without causing a scene.

But she had to admit, witnessing their downfall was the most cathartic experience of all.

Of course, Oliver Lopez had brought this upon himself.

If he hadn’t been arrogant enough to threaten her with her mother’s grave, Autumn never would have acted so swiftly.

“I also brought some reporters. If you want to speak with them, I can have Julian get in touch,” Owen added, a glint of mischief in his eyes.

Autumn’s eyes widened in surprise.

“They were part of that crowd too?”

Owen nodded, a self-satisfied smile playing on his lips. “The senior Mr. Lopez just made his big comeback at the Lopez Group. He’s feeling invincible, so it’s only natural for the paparazzi to come sniffing around.”

Understanding the implications behind his words, Autumn smiled back.

“Indeed.”

Their gazes locked, and in that moment, a shared understanding blossomed between them.

His hand, which had been gripping her wrist, slowly slid down, transforming into a gentle hold.

“Let’s head back first,” he suggested, his voice softening.

“Let’s wait a little longer,” Autumn replied, a hint of mischief in her tone.

Even though she knew they were all actors hired by Owen, she had genuinely felt a sense of protection from them. So when Oliver Lopez and his entourage finally managed to call the police, Autumn was the first to step up and bail them out.