The Day I Quit Him (Autumn and Mars) novel Chapter 208

**Chasing Light, Finding Peace – Chapter 208**

“You genuinely believe that’s not a possibility?”

Mrs. Lopez, sensing Oliver’s attentiveness, adopted a serious demeanor. Her voice lowered, laden with gravity. “Consider this for a moment. Autumn has always been one to flaunt her achievements, striving to be the best at everything since her childhood.”

Oliver leaned in, intrigued yet skeptical. “When she and Mars were in sync, she dedicated herself to Cloudbreak Corporation, ensuring everyone recognized her brilliance for choosing a dark horse with immense potential. She was the quintessential supportive wife, helping her husband secure investments and sponsorships. They were even contemplating starting a family, considering IVF at such a young age…”

Mrs. Lopez’s expression darkened. “Lydia and Mars haven’t merely been together for a fleeting moment. It’s entirely plausible that Autumn has been aware of their relationship all along, lying in wait, biding her time to strike from a position of power and obliterate us.”

A shiver ran down Oliver’s spine, a cold sweat breaking out across his back.

“Why would she do that?”

Horror painted Oliver’s features. “Could she actually harbor that much hatred for us? Enough to scheme revenge for all this time?”

Mrs. Lopez’s eyes glinted with a fierce determination. “This is her golden opportunity for retribution! Just think about it—once she becomes Mrs. Bennett, do you really believe she wouldn’t have the power to bankrupt the Lopez Group in a heartbeat?”

Oliver’s expression shifted as Mrs. Lopez continued. “And let’s not forget how you forced her to relinquish her shares in the company. The time, effort, and money she invested in the Lopez Group over the years far exceeded what you compensated her. Autumn is a perfectionist; she’ll never be satisfied with that paltry amount.”

“You wouldn’t give it to her, so she’s coming to reclaim it herself.”

A wave of dread crashed over Oliver, enveloping him in a chilling embrace.

“Right, right. Autumn mirrors her mother in that regard. Back then, her mother had a notorious rivalry that led her to…”

Mrs. Lopez’s eyes narrowed, her curiosity piqued. “She had a rival?”

“Didn’t you mention that Autumn’s mother was just a frail, sickly woman?”

“Ahem!”

Oliver lowered his gaze, concealing the tumult of emotions swirling in his mind.

So much time had passed that he had, in truth, forgotten most of it.

However, Autumn’s abrupt inquiry about her biological connection to him, coupled with his deliberate avoidance of memories regarding his late wife—not out of indifference but rather a deep-seated pain—had unearthed long-buried recollections, blurring the lines between past and present.

“She was indeed frail,” Oliver replied evasively, waving a dismissive hand. “Regardless, she’s gone. What’s the point of dredging this up?”

“Regardless, Autumn’s personality is remarkably similar to her mother’s. Just as obstinate. If her mother had simply chosen to overlook the situation back then, instead of pursuing a divorce and attempting to leverage my affair to divide our assets, I wouldn’t have spent those nights away.”

“And I would have been home during that catastrophic typhoon, aware of the moment she had her accident at home.”

“The incident when she fell into the pool… by the time they retrieved her, it was far too late. She developed a lung infection that spiraled into multiple complications, and she faded away so quickly…”

Oliver’s voice wavered slightly, guilt creeping into his tone as he recounted the events.

On the day of Autumn’s mother’s accident, he had been in bed with the very woman sitting across from him.

Though it had felt exhilarating at the time, mentioning it now only brought forth an overwhelming sense of awkwardness and shame. Mrs. Lopez had only ever known that Autumn’s mother had suffered from poor health, that she had been bedridden for an extended period, spent countless hours in the hospital, and ultimately returned home to recover, only to pass away.

She remained blissfully unaware of the darker undertones that lay beneath the surface.

As her heart raced, Mrs. Lopez’s hand, which had been resting on Oliver’s temple, tightened involuntarily.

Oliver yelped in pain, shooting upright.

“What are you doing?!”

He rubbed his temple, irritation flaring in his eyes as he glared at his wife. “Are you trying to kill me with that grip?”

Labeling Oliver’s actions toward Autumn’s mother as “a vendetta for her mother’s murder” would be an exaggeration.

However, any reasonable person who discovered that their mother’s death was a consequence of their father’s negligence would undoubtedly struggle to remain composed or forgive him.

Especially since Oliver had not been a proper father to Autumn throughout these years.

With old grievances mingling with new ones, Autumn was capable of anything.

“So what do we do now…” Oliver’s anger simmered, yet his instinct for self-preservation took precedence.

If Autumn truly grasped the truth and sought revenge, with Owen Bennett backing her, what was to stop her from achieving her goals?

As Oliver finally seemed to grasp the gravity of the situation, Mrs. Lopez’s eyes narrowed, and she leaned in, whispering a few words into his ear.

Oliver’s eyes widened slowly, disbelief washing over him. “Are you out of your mind? What’s in it for us?”

“So you’d prefer to let Autumn seize all the advantages?”

Oliver fell silent, wrestling with his thoughts.

Of course, he didn’t want Autumn to claim everything.

But…

“Are you certain we won’t get dragged into this?”

“Why would we? Autumn has already severed ties with the Lopez Group and publicly disowned us. The more we act as though we wish to reconcile, the more she’ll push us away. In the end, everyone will sympathize with us. We might even come out on top.”

A flicker of hope ignited in Oliver’s eyes. “Alright, we’ll proceed with your plan! Just ensure it’s executed flawlessly. We can’t afford any loose ends!”