The Day I Quit Him (Autumn and Mars) novel Chapter 2

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Chapter 2

The café.

Autumn Lopez couldn’t help but question her own sanity as she stepped inside. The decision to come here felt reckless, almost irrational. Yet, the moment her eyes landed on the man seated at a corner table, any lingering doubts about reality vanished. It was as if the world itself had tilted on its axis.

There he was—Owen Bennett. The titan of Grand City’s economy, a constant presence on the cover of Financial Weekly, and the man who had been voted the most desirable bachelor by women for five consecutive years. The CEO of Bennett Group. And now, the man who might be the father of the child growing inside her.

Owen, however, appeared composed—calm and collected, in stark contrast to her racing heart. Then he spoke, dropping a bombshell that sent shockwaves through her mind.

“We have never been intimate, Ms. Lopez. There’s no need for you to be so tense.”

Autumn’s face stiffened, her muscles locking in place as if frozen by his words.

“Why exactly did you ask me to come here, Mr. Bennett?” she demanded, her voice steady despite the turmoil inside.

Without a word, Owen slid an envelope across the table, the name of a hospital printed clearly on its front. His fingers pressed it firmly down, as if to emphasize the gravity of what it contained.

“Your husband, Mars Wright, has been unfaithful to you with your stepsister, Lydia Lopez. A month ago, they planned to implant their fertilized embryo into your womb, intending for you to carry their child as a surrogate.”

He paused, letting the weight of the revelation settle.

“But due to a mix-up at the clinic, my embryo was implanted in you instead.”

Autumn’s hands trembled slightly as she rifled through the documents inside the envelope. The evidence confirmed what she suspected: she hadn’t agreed to be a surrogate for that despicable man and her sister. Yet, despite this confirmation, relief was nowhere to be found.

She inhaled deeply, her features smoothing into a mask of calm resolve.

“Mr. Bennett,” she said quietly, “let’s not waste time. What is it that you truly want from me?”

A subtle flicker of respect flashed in Owen’s eyes, barely noticeable but unmistakable.

“Given your husband’s betrayal, I imagine you’ll want a divorce. Conveniently, I need a child—and a wife to appease my grandmother.”

He leaned forward slightly, voice low and unwavering.

“If you, Ms. Lopez, agree to become my contract wife and bear my child, I’m willing to offer one hundred million dollars. That money will save the struggling Lopez Group and help you reclaim your power.”

Autumn let out a bitter laugh, edged with disbelief.

“You people are unbelievable. Marry you? Absolutely not—”

“Ms. Lopez,” Owen interrupted, his tone firm yet calm, fingers tapping rhythmically on the table, “before you decide, ask yourself if your courage alone will be enough to face the consequences of this choice.”

He was right. She was cornered, backed into a place where any further loss might break her completely.

Closing her eyes, Autumn ran through every possible outcome in her mind, weighing the risks and possibilities. Finally, she made her choice.

“In one month, we’ll have the marriage license.”

“No problem,” Owen replied, as if he had anticipated her answer all along.

“See you at City Hall in a month, my fiancée.”

Though his voice remained steady, Autumn caught a strange intimacy in the way he said “fiancée.” She didn’t dwell on it, instead rising to her feet and walking away, unaware of the lingering gaze that followed her every step.

—

Back at the office, Autumn moved swiftly. She prepared her divorce papers and her resignation letter with surprising speed. Clutching a stack of documents, she knocked firmly on the door before entering.

Inside, Mars instinctively shoved Lydia aside as she entered. His suit jacket was slightly undone, the zipper on his pants loosened—a telltale sign of their recent indiscretion.