The Day I Quit Him (Autumn and Mars) novel Chapter 179

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

As Mrs. Lopez made her way back from Mars Wright’s house, her mind churned with thoughts that only fueled her growing anger. The more she reflected on the situation, the more furious she became. It was a bitter pill to swallow; she couldn’t dictate Mars’s actions, but she was resolute in her determination to rein in Oliver.

However, the reality was stark: the two men were in cahoots, and with her feeling outnumbered, she had no option but to retreat for the time being. But surrender was not in her nature. Even during the drive to the hospital, her resolve solidified. She reached for her phone and dialed a private investigator, her heart racing with each ring.

“I need you to tail two individuals,” she instructed, her voice steady despite the storm inside. “The more detailed and useful the photos, the larger your bonus will be.”

The investigator’s tone was confident, assuring her that he would handle it with the utmost professionalism. Yet, as she ended the call, a wave of anxiety washed over her.

Ever since Lydia’s face had been marred, Mrs. Lopez felt as if an unbearable weight was pressing down on her chest. It was a relentless burden, watching Mars and the others flourish while her own world crumbled around her. The pain was akin to having her heart submerged in scorching oil, searing and unrelenting.

Why did it have to come to this for her and her daughter?

Despite everything that had transpired, Mars was still intent on crafting a blissful life with Autumn. Why did that insufferable woman’s daughter get to bask in happiness while they suffered?

As she entered Lydia’s hospital room, her heart tightened at the sight before her. There sat her daughter, a pale shadow of her former self, resembling a lifeless marionette with its strings severed.

“Lydia?” she called out, her voice barely above a whisper, laced with concern.

Mrs. Lopez’s heart plummeted, and she hurried to her daughter’s side, anxiety coursing through her veins.

Lydia slowly raised her head, her eyes locking onto her mother’s.

But when Lydia realized her mother had come alone, the flicker of hope in her gaze extinguished completely.

“Where’s Mars? And Dad?” she asked, her voice a fragile echo, filled with a despair that cut deep.

Lydia had always been the apple of everyone’s eye, the cherished daughter. But the recent calamities had pushed her to the edge, and her disfigurement was the final blow.

It felt as if she were on the verge of a detonation. A vice gripped her heart, the pain so acute that even the thought of taking a deep breath was daunting.

“They…”

Mrs. Lopez faltered, struggling to find the right words.

She feared the truth would shatter her daughter.

But her hesitation was a cruelty of its own, more painful than the blunt reality.

“Dad’s given up on me, hasn’t he?”

Lydia’s voice was sharp, tinged with an edge of madness. “And Mars doesn’t want me anymore, right?”

“I knew it!” she cried out, her frustration boiling over.

In a fit of rage, Lydia began clawing at her own face, her fingers digging into her skin. “Damn it! Why did my face have to be ruined? Why now, of all times?”

Mrs. Lopez was horrified and lunged forward, grasping Lydia’s hands to stop her.

Her daughter was mercilessly punishing herself. Even with her nails gone, she had managed to leave crimson trails on her skin.

“Lydia, what are you doing?!”

Her face, already a canvas of horror from the botched surgeries and treatments, was now marred with blood, a sight that made Mrs. Lopez’s stomach churn.

Seeing her mother’s horrified expression only exacerbated Lydia’s instability.

“Mom, leave me alone! Go get Mars for me. I need him here with me…”

“And Dad. He always said I was his favorite daughter. Now that his favorite daughter wants him here, he’ll definitely come.”

“That’s right, Mom. Go fetch them. Now.”

Lydia’s desperation was palpable, a frantic need to assert that despite her disfigurement, she was still the same pampered heiress who had everything at her fingertips.

Tears streamed down Mrs. Lopez’s cheeks, the weight of her daughter’s pain too much to bear. She couldn’t face Lydia’s gaze, feeling the chasm of hopelessness widen between them.

After repeating her plea several times to no avail, Lydia suddenly fell silent, an unsettling calm washing over her.

That’s when Mrs. Lopez broke down, her sobs echoing in the sterile room.

“Lydia, please, don’t frighten me like this! We have nothing left as it is. If something happens to you, how am I supposed to carry on?!”

Taking down Autumn wouldn’t be a walk in the park.

Especially since Mars had made it abundantly clear that he had no intention of divorcing her.

If the two of them created a scene, they would likely burn all their remaining bridges.

“There’s only one way to ruin Autumn.”

Lydia spoke each word deliberately, her resolve hardening. “We prove she cheated.”

Mrs. Lopez inhaled sharply. “How are we supposed to do that?”

After all, Lydia had only heard this from Hannah.

Considering their relationship, the veracity of the claims was questionable at best.

More importantly, they both knew that the baby growing in Autumn’s womb was theirs—Lydia and Mars’s.

If they attempted to use the baby as leverage, they risked not only failing to drag Autumn down but also exposing their own sordid little secret.

Mrs. Lopez felt the risk was far too great.

But Lydia replied with conviction, “We just have to prove that the baby isn’t biologically hers.”

Mrs. Lopez’s jaw dropped in disbelief. “Would that even work?”

“Of course! Everyone knows she did IVF. We’ll just say she never intended to have Mars’s baby and deliberately had the embryos swapped. Do you think Mars will still stand by her then?”

“Doesn’t Mars want to put all of this behind him as quickly as possible?”

“Even if he doesn’t want to confront Autumn himself, he’ll have to play along with us to cover up the truth about the baby!”

“And once Mars speaks out, do you think anyone will still believe Autumn?”

“A cheating bitch carrying another man’s baby, accused by her own husband—who would believe a woman like that?”