The Day I Quit Him (Autumn and Mars) novel Chapter 180

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

The more Mrs. Lopez absorbed Lydia’s words, the more she began to see the truth in her daughter’s perspective. It was astonishing how much people relished the juicy details of gossip these days; the actual narrative seemed to hold little weight in their eyes.

Mars, in all his desperation, was evidently trying to smooth over the scandal surrounding the embryo incident. By branding Autumn as the cheater, he had found the perfect scapegoat to divert attention from his own misdeeds.

Who would genuinely care about the origins of the baby nestled in Autumn’s womb if they could pin the blame solely on her?

Moreover, both Autumn and Mars had strayed. It was a twisted game of blame where, as long as one could crucify the other first, no one would bother to inquire whether the initial sinner had also betrayed.

This entire farce had to reach its conclusion sooner or later, and their mission was clear: ensure that Autumn bore the brunt of the fallout.

“The most prudent course of action would be to eliminate that damned baby in her stomach,” Lydia declared, her voice dripping with conviction. “Even if Mars insists that the child is mine, who’s to say that’s not just a tactic to keep me calm? Mom, we can’t afford to show weakness anymore.”

“If we don’t make the first move, once Mars regains his composure, he might turn his sights on us—on the Lopez Group.”

“Cloudbreak Corporation is a behemoth compared to the Lopez Group. If he opts for a hostile takeover, how could we ever hope to defend ourselves? And let’s not forget, Dad is now in cahoots with Mars. They wouldn’t bat an eye if we fell apart.”

This was the outcome Mrs. Lopez had feared the most, a chilling reality that sent shivers down her spine.

Without further hesitation, she nodded with determination.

“I’ll take care of this.”

“Don’t fret. Autumn won’t slip through our fingers this time,” Lydia replied, her expression one of fierce satisfaction.

“If we can’t depend on the men in our lives, then we’ll fight our own battles. Mom, don’t you worry; we will emerge victorious!”

Lydia’s fiery words ignited a spark of rebellion within Mrs. Lopez.

For far too long, she had played the role of the dutiful and submissive wife to Oliver Lopez, burying her true thoughts and feelings beneath layers of obligation, especially as he leaned more on their daughters for support. Patience had been her virtue, but now, faced with Oliver’s true colors, she had no intention of continuing to play the part of the compliant wife to that insufferable man.

In many ways, Autumn was the cleverest of them all.

She had married young and forged her own career and connections, which made her less susceptible to control.

It was a pity, however, that she had fallen prey to the depths of love.

Loving Mars Wright had undoubtedly been the gravest mistake Autumn had ever made.

Soon enough, the consequences of her youthful indiscretions would catch up with her.

A small, satisfied smile crept onto Mrs. Lopez’s lips at the thought.

She could almost envision the wealth and fortune that awaited her.

I truly hope that day arrives soon.

The day of Mars Wright’s birthday party finally arrived, just as he had been eagerly anticipating.

Autumn, however, did not show up at the expected hour as she had initially promised. Instead, she took her time, savoring a leisurely breakfast with Owen before finally leaving the villa.

Her phone buzzed incessantly, a flood of missed calls and texts inundating her notifications.

Her WhatsApp was alive with activity, threatening to crash her device under the weight of the messages.

She knew precisely who was trying to reach her and had no intention of replying.

The driver, aware of her phone’s chaos but choosing silence, slowed the vehicle, ensuring a smooth ride free from abrupt stops.

Each passing day seemed to make Autumn’s belly swell larger, and although Owen remained silent, his anxiety was palpable to everyone around them.

The driver, in particular, recalled the last time he had picked Autumn up; it had almost ignited a fierce argument between the young couple. Now, he was hyper-vigilant, careful not to utter a word that could spark tension.

Mr. Bennett had finally reunited with his wife and child; if they frightened her away with a careless comment or action, they would find themselves in serious trouble.

Just as the driver was lost in his thoughts, his phone rang unexpectedly.

He froze for a moment, pondering who could be calling him at such an odd hour.

After all, people like him adhered to strict work hours. None of his friends would be thoughtless enough to ring him during his shift.

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