The Day I Quit Him (Autumn and Mars) novel Chapter 164

**Chasing Light, Finding Peace by Rohan Verma**
**Chapter 164**

Mrs. Lopez found herself ensnared in a moment of paralysis, her surroundings fading into a blur of indistinct voices and chaos. Her focus was laser-like, fixated on Autumn, who stood before her, an embodiment of anxiety and suspicion. The tension in the air was palpable, thick enough to cut with a knife, as Autumn’s eyes flickered with a storm of emotions that she struggled to verbalize.

Keeping her distance, Autumn wore an expression that was a fortress, guarded and cautious. She had learned the hard way that the Lopez family was not to be trifled with. The last thing she wanted was to jeopardize her own safety or that of her unborn child by becoming embroiled in their toxic drama.

“The police department called and asked me to come get you,” Mrs. Lopez finally managed to articulate, her voice strained with an artificial calm that did little to mask the turmoil roiling within her.

Autumn’s face remained impassive, a mask of indifference. “If you don’t want to leave, I can just head back.”

Was this a cruel jest? Did they genuinely still see her as that pitiful little girl who once begged for scraps and yearned for a chance to learn?

She was acutely aware of the strings Mrs. Lopez had pulled over the years, both overtly and in the shadows, to undermine her confidence.

In the past, she had chosen to overlook the manipulation for the sake of her father and Lydia, but now that the veil had been lifted, revealing the Lopez family’s true, unscrupulous nature, she vowed to show no mercy or compassion toward them any longer.

There was no way Lydia and Mars would have ended up together without Mrs. Lopez orchestrating their union. A woman who not only played the role of the other woman but also encouraged her daughter to do the same deserved to face consequences for her actions.

“Stop!”

As Autumn turned to leave, a wave of panic surged through Mrs. Lopez.

Bound by her own pride, she couldn’t rush over to Autumn physically; her only recourse was to raise her voice in desperation.

“Autumn Lopez, I told you to stop!”

Autumn detected the commanding tone in her stepmother’s voice, a cold smile flickering across her lips as she continued to walk away, deliberately ignoring the command.

Mrs. Lopez muttered curses under her breath, her frustration simmering just below the surface.

She didn’t want to concede to Autumn.

After all, she had spent years as Autumn’s stepmother, wielding power over her.

Watching that girl, once so dependent on her, now teetering on the brink of independence filled her with a twisted sense of accomplishment.

For years, she had reveled in her elevated status, feeling triumphant as she watched Autumn struggle. If she had to bow her head to Autumn now, wouldn’t that signify a defeat for both her and her daughter?

How could she possibly accept that?

She had worked tirelessly, patiently waiting for Autumn’s mother to falter so she could take her rightful place. She had banked all her hopes on Lydia, believing her daughter’s success would elevate their family’s status and erase the “homewrecker” label that haunted her. Wasn’t the ultimate goal to crush all those she loathed beneath her heel?

And now, she was expected to grovel before the daughter of the woman she despised most? What kind of twisted reality was this? How could she come to terms with it?

Autumn couldn’t read Mrs. Lopez’s mind, but she could sense the bitterness and fear swirling within her like a tempest.

A smirk danced on Autumn’s lips. If they were miserable, then she felt a strange sense of satisfaction.

Who told them to be so utterly shameless? Clearly, being a homewrecker ran in the family.

Mrs. Lopez was one thing, but Lydia seducing her own brother-in-law? Knowing full well that she and Mars were married and had a solid relationship, yet still forcing her way in—what was that if not pure trash?

The only reason Autumn hadn’t sought direct revenge was that she had more class than that. But it didn’t mean she would allow them to parade around her as if they owned the world.

“Autumn Lopez!”

Just as she was about to push through the police station doors, a wave of panic gripped Mrs. Lopez. Terrified at the prospect of being left behind, her voice softened, a desperate plea escaping her lips. “Wait, don’t go! We can talk this out, okay?”

“Whatever you want, I’ll agree to it. Just get me out of here first.”

Mrs. Lopez’s thoughts turned to Lydia, still confined to the hospital. She couldn’t afford to linger here any longer.

Lydia would shatter upon learning her face was marred. She needed to go and soothe her daughter’s distress.

Upon hearing the words she had longed to hear, Autumn finally paused.

“Oh? You’ll agree to anything?”

Mrs. Lopez felt a tightening in her chest as she noticed the sharp glint of determination in Autumn’s eyes.

A strange sensation washed over her.

From what she understood of Autumn, she wasn’t the type to make such bold declarations.

She still held some lingering affection for her father and had always sought his approval by supporting the family.

What had caused such a drastic transformation in her?

She had moved mountains to acquire those from Oliver; they were supposed to serve as her and Lydia’s final safety net.

When had Autumn become so well-informed that she even knew about this?

After making her demand, Autumn fell silent, knowing Mrs. Lopez’s personality all too well. If she tried to reason with her politely, it would only give her an opportunity to manipulate the situation.

All she needed to do was drop a bombshell like this. Whatever Mrs. Lopez chose to infer from it was no longer her concern.

Sure enough, Mrs. Lopez’s eyes darted around, her mind racing. Finally, as if she had reached a conclusion, she looked at Autumn and asked tentatively, “What do you want these shares for? Don’t tell me you’re thinking of rejoining the Lopez Group?”

Hearing this, Autumn realized her stepmother’s imagination had already concocted an elaborate family drama. She merely smiled faintly and shook her head. “Of course not. I just think I should receive a little something for bailing you out. Isn’t that how it works when you hire someone for a job?”

Mrs. Lopez clearly didn’t believe that Autumn’s motives were so straightforward.

She was likely picturing Autumn kicking her and her daughter out of the Lopez family altogether.

“That’s not happening. Name something else.”

Mrs. Lopez was beginning to cave under pressure.

A flicker of amusement danced in Autumn’s eyes. “Fine. Then how about Lydia’s shares in Cloudbreak Corporation?”

Mrs. Lopez gasped, her expression shifting as she regarded Autumn as if she were a complete stranger.

It wasn’t difficult to deduce that she had shares in the Lopez Group.

After all, she had stood by Oliver’s side for years; if she hadn’t earned them through merit, she had certainly toiled for them.

But how on earth did Autumn know that Lydia had shares in Cloudbreak as well? Had she pieced together the entire truth?

In this tense confrontation, the emotional arc of both Autumn and Mrs. Lopez reaches a critical juncture, highlighting a profound shift in their relationship dynamics. Autumn, once a vulnerable girl overshadowed by the manipulative presence of her stepmother, has transformed into a formidable force, wielding knowledge and power that Mrs. Lopez never anticipated. The tension in the air is palpable as Autumn stands her ground, refusing to be swayed by the familiar tactics of emotional manipulation that Mrs. Lopez has relied on for so long. This moment signifies not just a power shift but a reclamation of identity and strength for Autumn, as she boldly demands what she believes is rightfully hers, leaving Mrs. Lopez scrambling to adapt to a reality where she is no longer in control.

For Mrs. Lopez, the realization that her carefully constructed facade of authority is crumbling under the weight of Autumn’s newfound assertiveness is both alarming and unsettling. The desperation in her pleas reflects a woman grappling with her own insecurities and the fear of losing her status within the family she has worked so hard to manipulate. As Autumn’s demands echo in the silence, Mrs. Lopez is forced to confront the consequences of her past actions, and the once-steadfast grip she had on her stepdaughter is now slipping away. This chapter closes with an air of uncertainty, but also with the promise of transformation—Autumn is no longer the girl who sought approval; she is a woman ready to carve her own path, while Mrs. Lopez must reckon with the reality that her reign over Autumn has come to an end.

In the upcoming chapter, readers can expect the tension between Autumn and Mrs. Lopez to reach a boiling point as they navigate their precarious familial ties amidst betrayal and ambition. With Autumn’s bold demand for shares in the Lopez Group hanging heavily in the air, Mrs. Lopez will be forced to confront not only her own insecurities but also the reality of the power shift within their relationship. As secrets unravel and past grievances resurface, the stakes will become higher than ever, with both women poised to make moves that could irrevocably alter their futures.

As Autumn continues to assert her newfound strength, Mrs. Lopez may find herself scrambling to maintain control, leading to a fierce battle of wits that will leave readers on the edge of their seats. Will Mrs. Lopez resort to manipulation to reclaim her status, or will she surprise everyone with an unexpected alliance? Meanwhile, Autumn’s motivations will be scrutinized, revealing layers of her character that have been carefully hidden until now. With Lydia’s shares in Cloudbreak Corporation hanging in the balance, the chapter promises to delve deeper into the tangled web of loyalties and ambitions, setting the stage for explosive confrontations and shocking revelations. Prepare for a whirlwind of emotions as these two formidable women clash, each determined to outmaneuver the other in a game where the stakes are nothing less than their futures.