The Day I Quit Him (Autumn and Mars) novel Chapter 185

**Chapter 185**

A brief flicker of panic ignited in Mars Wright’s eyes, a momentary lapse that betrayed the carefully constructed facade he wore.

Of course, he had no tangible evidence to support his claims.

The overwhelming support from everyone around him had lulled him into a false sense of security, making him forget that crucial detail for just a heartbeat.

He retained the mask of grief, a sorrowful expression etched across his features, but his gaze flitted nervously toward Lydia Lopez and the others, silently urging them to conjure up some form of defense.

After all, they were the instigators of this entire debacle. It would carry far more weight if the words came from their lips rather than his.

Lydia, however, was caught off guard by the unexpected support for Autumn Lopez. Jealousy and resentment bubbled within her, threatening to spill over.

Why is Autumn so damn fortunate?

She wasn’t even present, yet someone was willing to rise in her defense.

In her mind, a storm of thoughts raged. Besides, Autumn had indeed cheated. This wasn’t merely a fabrication; it was a truth they all knew.

“Can we please refrain from rubbing salt in Mars’s wounds right now?” she interjected, her voice thick with emotion.

“He wanted to keep this under wraps all along. He didn’t want anyone else to know, especially not to humiliate my sister, but we simply couldn’t stand by and do nothing.”

Tears welled in Lydia’s eyes as she continued, “Mars has shown such unwavering devotion to my sister, even willing to forgive her after discovering her betrayal. But this time, she has crossed a line. She didn’t even bother to show up on a day as significant as his birthday!”

“She promised him she would be here to celebrate. I can’t believe she would just renege on her word like that.”

“He must be utterly devastated.”

“If you ask me, she just doesn’t appreciate how fortunate she truly is. If I had a husband as wonderful as Mars, I would treasure him. We would be the epitome of a perfect, happy family.”

Her words resonated with the crowd, prompting nods of agreement from those around her.

“That really is terrible.”

“Speaking of which, as Mrs. Wright, where exactly is Autumn Lopez on her own husband’s birthday?”

“You don’t think she’s off with her lover, do you?”

“That would be pushing it too far, wouldn’t it?”

The crowd buzzed with speculation, each person speaking as if they had witnessed the events firsthand, making the few who dared to defend Autumn appear as mere contrarians.

Fueled by their own loyalties and past rivalries, many began to hurl sarcastic jabs at those defending her.

“Her own husband and sister are saying it. Why are some people still being so obstinate?”

“Do they genuinely believe they’ll gain something by playing the ‘I’m the only sane one here’ card?”

“I think some are just projecting their own issues. They aren’t clean themselves, so they assume everyone else is just as tainted.”

As it turned out, a few of the women who had spoken in favor of Autumn were themselves divorced.

They had chosen to end their marriages upon discovering infidelity, unable to bear the sting of betrayal.

But their ex-husbands, whose lives had spiraled downward post-divorce, spread malicious rumors about them throughout their social circles.

In the ruthless world of business, successful women faced enough challenges; the few who were genuinely formidable were often labeled as “aggressive” or deemed “not suitable for marriage.”

Now, these women rallied together, convinced that the defenders were simply cut from the same cloth as Autumn, standing up for her out of some misguided sense of solidarity.

This notion infuriated them.

“Were we wrong? Making unfounded accusations that someone cheated is slander, plain and simple!”

“If you have proof, then present it. Did Autumn go on a date with another man? Do you have a picture of them in bed? You have nothing, so why are you demanding that we provide the evidence?”

“The burden of proof lies with the accuser. Is that really such a difficult concept for you to grasp?”

Just as the tension reached a boiling point, Lydia intervened to quell the escalating argument.

Mars continued to play his role flawlessly, standing there as if he were on the verge of collapse. His performance incited a fresh wave of condemnation aimed squarely at Autumn.

“I have never encountered such a malicious woman. She cheats, becomes pregnant with another man’s child, and then tries to make her own husband take the fall?”

“What does she think we men are?”

“I always heard Autumn Lopez was so capable. Turns out she’s not all that great after all.”

“She probably slept her way to the top to secure all those deals.”

Many women in the room found that comment repugnant.

Yet, with the crowd in an uproar, they dared not voice their objections.

After all, proof had been demanded, and proof had been delivered. If they persisted in claiming Autumn’s innocence, they could easily become the next targets of the mob’s ire.

Moreover, the most significant issue was that Autumn, the person at the center of this storm, was nowhere to be found.

Since she hadn’t shown up, what was the point of them running around like headless chickens trying to defend her?

“Mars, what are you planning to do?”

After venting their frustrations, someone finally began to consider the practical implications.

“You and your wife founded Cloudbreak Corporation together, right? Now that she’s cheated, you need to protect your interests. You can’t let some homewrecker take a slice of it.”

Mars nodded, his expression somber. “I hadn’t really considered all that, but now that you mention it, I think—”

Clap, clap, clap—

A sudden round of applause interrupted Mars, drawing the crowd’s attention.

Confused, they turned toward the sound, only to see Autumn Lopez standing at the entrance of the hall, a confident smile gracing her lips. As all eyes fell upon her, she met their gazes without flinching and declared with breezy assurance, “What a lively party! Looks like I missed quite the show.”