The Day I Quit Him (Autumn and Mars) novel Chapter 169

**Chapter 169**

“An invitation from Mrs. Wright? I must admit, I’m rather taken aback,” Autumn said, her voice tinged with a mixture of surprise and curiosity.

Mars Wright was known for his fierce loyalty and protective nature, a man who rarely entertained frivolous matters. The owner of a consumer goods empire, he seemed to dwell in a realm far removed from the tech landscape that Cloudbreak occupied. Yet, the tangled history between Lydia Lopez and Nathan Parker—a man who owned a rival company—cast a long, dark shadow over their interactions.

Autumn recalled the harrowing tales Lydia had shared with her, recounting the inappropriate advances made by Parker, the fury that erupted when she spurned him, and the lengths he had gone to humiliate her. When Mars learned of Lydia’s plight, he had stormed over to confront Parker, unleashing a torrent of pent-up rage that culminated in a physical altercation, leaving Parker shaken and Mars vindicated.

Initially, Autumn had stood firmly by Mars’s side, allowing him to unleash his wrath on Parker’s chain of supermarkets without a second thought. It wasn’t until Parker’s influential wife intervened that a fragile truce was established. Still, the animosity simmered beneath the surface, a constant reminder of their turbulent past.

Fortunately, the nature of their respective businesses meant they were not direct competitors, sparing them from a full-blown corporate war. Nathan Parker, armed with his own talents and connections through his wife’s powerful family, had carved out a formidable reputation in the consumer goods sector. His company stood as one of the leading brands in the nation, yet whispers of his ambition to forge an identity separate from his wife’s shadow echoed among industry insiders. Autumn’s sudden presence in his life felt like a door opening for him—a chance to redefine the narrative.

To her astonishment, when Autumn finally met Parker, he greeted her with an unexpected warmth that seemed to erase the bitterness of their shared history. A small smile tugged at the corners of her lips as she began, “Honestly, I’m surprised you agreed to meet, Mr. Parker. Things were rather unpleasant back then, largely due to my stepsister. Given my condition, I won’t be drinking, so I hope tea will suffice for our toast. I appreciate your willingness to move past our history.”

Parker, despite his initial reservations, felt the weight of Autumn’s words lift the remnants of his frustration. “Not at all. I’ve heard quite a bit about you and Mr. Wright, Ms. Lopez. I must confess, your decisiveness is quite impressive. This toast should indeed be from me to you.”

Their teacups clinked softly, a sound that resonated with unspoken understanding as their gazes locked. It was a moment that transcended their tumultuous past, a silent acknowledgment of the paths they were each navigating.

“Let’s leave it at that,” Autumn said, savoring a sip of her tea before diving into the heart of her purpose. “I actually invited you here to discuss my shares in Cloudbreak Corporation.”

Parker’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. “I was wondering if you might be interested in selling them?” Autumn continued, her voice steady yet imbued with urgency.

Parker had expected that Autumn’s reason for reaching out would carry weight, but this revelation caught him off guard. A wave of opportunity washed over him, akin to winning a small fortune.

Yet, as the initial shock subsided, a flicker of concern crossed his mind. “But you and Mars…” he started, acutely aware of the rumors circulating about Lydia and Mars’s alleged affair. Suddenly, everything fell into place—Mars’s violent outburst toward him was rooted in something deeper, something that had fundamentally shaken the foundation of their relationships.

Though Parker prided himself on being a gentleman, the reality of their social circles meant that such affairs were not uncommon. The silence from his own wife regarding the matter left him deliberating his next words carefully. He had no desire to reopen old wounds, especially since the conflict with Mars felt like a relic of the past. Bringing it up now would only serve to paint him as petty.

If there was one attribute Parker valued, it was his patience. He had always believed that impulsive characters like Mars would eventually falter in the business world, and he had been biding his time, waiting for the opportune moment to make his move. Yet, he never anticipated that Autumn would be the one to approach him first.

“If you choose to sell your shares, your marriage…” he ventured, piecing together the implications of her decision. Autumn’s intent appeared to go beyond mere retaliation; it was a calculated maneuver that could potentially dismantle Mars’s standing.

“To be frank, Mr. Parker, Mars and I are already in the process of divorcing. We won’t be husband and wife for much longer,” she stated, her voice unwavering, as if she had made peace with her decision.

Parker inhaled sharply, the weight of her revelation settling heavily in the air. He hesitated, momentarily caught off guard. The recent gossip he had heard clicked into place, and as he looked at Autumn, he felt a blend of sympathy and admiration for her courage.

“Ms. Lopez, you are even more resolute than I had anticipated,” he remarked, his tone softening.

Autumn smiled, a glimmer of mischief dancing in her eyes. “Don’t flatter me too much, Mr. Parker. You’re the first person I’ve approached about this. If you’re genuinely impressed, perhaps you could offer a bit more for the shares? I could certainly use the extra cash for my legal fees.”

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