The Day I Quit Him (Autumn and Mars) novel Chapter 165

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

The revelation hit Mrs. Lopez with the force of a winter storm, chilling her to the core and leaving her breathless. Her hands, clammy and slick with a nervous sweat, quivered ever so slightly as she fought to maintain her composure.

“What do you mean…? How could Lydia possibly have shares in Cloudbreak?” she stuttered, her voice trembling with disbelief, as if she were attempting to bluff her way through a game whose rules were completely foreign to her.

On the flip side, Autumn couldn’t suppress the smirk that curled at the corners of her mouth, reveling in the palpable desperation emanating from Mrs. Lopez. It was almost comical how easily people underestimated her intellect. While she had never previously immersed herself in the intricate world of business, her recent discovery of Mars’s manipulative tactics had ignited a fierce determination within her. She had scoured every detail, turning over every stone in her relentless pursuit of the truth.

Despite Mars’s meticulous efforts to conceal his actions, Autumn had unearthed a thread—a trail leading straight to him. He had gone to great lengths to reassure Lydia, cleverly splitting his own shares and keeping a tidy number for himself, while offloading seven percent of his miscellaneous shares to a shell company at a bargain price. The mastermind behind that shell company? None other than Lydia herself.

In that moment, it was clear that Mars had genuinely cared for Lydia, using every ounce of his cunning to provide her with a false sense of security. Unfortunately for him, his failure to tie up loose ends had left Autumn with the upper hand. She had been patient, waiting for the perfect moment to strike, and now that the scales of victory had tipped squarely in her favor, she was determined to ensure they wouldn’t escape unscathed.

“Is that so?” she replied, her tone deceptively casual, as if they were merely discussing the weather. She shrugged, feigning helplessness. “Well, if you can’t provide me with what I want, I suppose you’ll just have to wait for someone else to come to your rescue.”

Mrs. Lopez felt her heart plummet at those words. As she watched Autumn turn to leave without a second glance, a wave of desperation surged within her, compelling her to call out, “Wait!” Betrayed by her husband, she knew all too well that Oliver was not a reliable ally. If she depended on him to save the day, she would be waiting until the end of time—or worse.

She could afford to wait, but Lydia couldn’t. The thought of her daughter’s face being marred forever was a haunting specter that loomed over her thoughts. Mrs. Lopez recalled the seemingly unbreakable bond between Lydia and Mars; after all, Mars had abandoned Autumn at the mere flick of Lydia’s finger. Surely, if Lydia exerted just a bit more effort, she could reclaim the shares, perhaps even secure a better deal than before. Trading away those few shares for her daughter’s freedom felt like a fair exchange.

“I’ll do it,” Mrs. Lopez spat through clenched teeth, determination lacing her voice. “Just bail me out now, and I’ll make Lydia sign the transfer agreement.”

Autumn’s smile was cool and calculating as she shook her head. “Nope. You sign first.”

She had no faith in Mrs. Lopez’s integrity. What kind of principles could a woman possess who would push her own daughter to pursue her stepdaughter’s husband?

Mrs. Lopez could see the disdain in Autumn’s eyes, and as an elder, being cornered like this was a humiliation she could hardly bear. But what options did she have? Was she supposed to remain here, waiting for a miracle?

The thought of “the end of time” arriving before Oliver made her stomach churn with anxiety.

“Fine,” she finally ground out, forcing the word from her throat with great effort. “I need to contact my lawyer.”

Technically, Lydia’s shares required her signature for the transfer, but Mrs. Lopez was resourceful enough to pull some strings and orchestrate a smooth transition to Autumn. While the other shareholders of Cloudbreak would be informed of this change, the amount was minuscule and the stake insignificant, ensuring it would fly under the radar, especially from Mars. He had been blissfully unaware of Cloudbreak’s affairs for some time, so a minor shift in share ownership would likely escape his notice.

“Thanks so much, Aunty,” Autumn said, her voice dripping with feigned sweetness.

Mrs. Lopez’s eyes burned with barely contained fury. Here she was, Oliver’s legal wife, yet Autumn had never once acknowledged her as such. After all these years and all the names she had endured, that single word, “Aunty,” felt like a slap she had been holding back for far too long.

“You’ve been waiting for this day for a long time, haven’t you?” Mrs. Lopez glared at Autumn, her voice low and dangerous. “What are you planning to do?”

Autumn had no intention of revealing her plans to Mrs. Lopez. Instead, she simply smiled, a glint of mischief dancing in her eyes. “You’ll find out what I’m going to do eventually.”

“Don’t worry, I’m not going to do anything strange.”

“After all, my last name is Lopez too.”

There was not a hint of deception in Autumn’s words. She was merely reclaiming what was rightfully hers, and how Mrs. Lopez chose to interpret that was of no concern to her.

With her piece said and more than enough accomplished, Autumn felt no inclination to engage further. After settling the bail, she slid into her car, deliberately ignoring Mrs. Lopez’s incredulous stare.

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