The Day I Quit Him (Autumn and Mars) novel Chapter 225

**Chasing Light, Finding Peace – Chapter 225**

“Then what exactly is your point?” Autumn’s voice was steady, but beneath the surface, a storm of emotions brewed.

“Need me to remind you? You cheated on me while we were married. More than once.” Mars’s tone was defensive, yet it lacked the conviction of someone truly remorseful.

“You even tried to make me have a baby for you and Lydia.” The words tumbled out of Autumn’s mouth like stones, each one heavy with the weight of betrayal.

“Mars, I married you because I loved you. I was ready to build a life together, to invest everything I had into our future and the company. But I refuse to be your personal incubator after everything I’ve discovered!” Her voice rose, the anger bubbling over, each syllable a reminder of the pain he had caused her.

Mars’s head drooped, his shame palpable as if he were a deflated balloon, utterly devoid of air and spirit.

“Autumn… I’m sorry… I know I was wrong…” His voice trembled, a weak attempt at remorse that fell flat in the face of her fury.

Watching him, Autumn felt no satisfaction. Instead, a cold realization settled over her like a shroud. He couldn’t possibly mean it; this was just a performance, a desperate act borne from the exposure of his true self. Everyone could now see the man he really was beneath the carefully crafted facade.

He was acutely aware that the fallout from his actions could lead to his complete cancellation in both personal and professional realms, and with his company teetering on the brink of collapse, he was now scrambling for a lifeline. This was a man who had always viewed relationships as mere resources to be exploited, drained of any value they might offer.

In the past, she had been too enmeshed in her emotions to recognize the rot at his core. But after the flames of betrayal had scorched her heart, there was no way she could ever return to the ashes of their relationship.

“If saying ‘sorry’ was enough, then what would we need cops for?” she shot back, her arms crossing defiantly over her chest, her tone deceptively light.

Mars shifted uncomfortably under her gaze, clearly unsettled by her nonchalance. Yet, as the one seeking a favor, he dared not show any sign of displeasure.

“Autumn, a bunch of Cloudbreak’s partners are pulling their funding. Others want to terminate their contracts… You were the one who brought them in. Please, can you help me? Talk to them, convince them not to pull out?” His voice was tinged with desperation, the victim’s plea echoing in the air between them.

“Cloudbreak doesn’t even have a decent project right now,” she retorted, her frustration boiling over. “I have so many people waiting for their paychecks. If this continues, we won’t even be able to meet payroll.”

Just as I suspected, Autumn thought bitterly. Mars hadn’t come to apologize; he had come to make her sick with his selfish demands.

“What on earth makes you think I would ever help you?” she asked, her voice steady yet laced with incredulity.

Autumn prided herself on being even-tempered, but his shamelessness was a bitter pill to swallow.

“Mars, when you were out living your best life, did you ever spare a thought for me? Now that the company is in turmoil, you come crawling back? Did you ever show me even a shred of respect for bringing in all that business, those investments, and sponsorships?” Her chest heaved with pent-up anger. If it weren’t for the baby, she would have gladly stormed over and given him a piece of her mind—perhaps even a few well-deserved punches.

This despicable scumbag had not only wasted years of her life but had also tried to manipulate her into becoming a surrogate for another woman. The mere thought of it ignited a firestorm of rage within her.

Just thinking about it made her envision a scenario where she could confront both him and Lydia. Her revenge had barely begun, yet they were already crumbling. What about the heartbreak she had endured? The pain of every single IVF treatment? Was that simply her misfortune?

Autumn genuinely couldn’t comprehend how Mars could possess such a thick skin. Everything he had done was laid bare for all to see, and yet he still had the audacity to ask her for assistance.

Did he truly believe she was so naive?

Autumn couldn’t bear to hear another word. In a swift motion, she swung her hand and slapped Mars hard across the face, the sound echoing in the charged atmosphere.

“Do I need to remind you why I was doing IVF in the first place? And why there was an ‘accident’ with the embryo?” Her teeth clenched as she spoke, each word deliberate and sharp. “Mars, what right do you have to question me?”

“Fine! Let’s say the baby situation was my fault, that I deserved the consequences for trying to screw someone over. But why didn’t you come to me about it?” He was grasping at straws, desperately trying to shift blame.

“You knew about me and Lydia, but you kept silent, gathering evidence behind my back, tricking me into signing the divorce and resignation papers. Autumn, when did you become so ruthless?”

“We were married for years. Was there anything we couldn’t have discussed? Why did you have to be so cruel? Why push it this far?”

“Are you satisfied now, seeing my reputation in ruins and Cloudbreak facing a crisis? Even if you didn’t want our marriage anymore, what did Cloudbreak ever do to deserve this? What did all those employees do wrong? Do you understand how many families your little tantrum will ruin?”

Autumn was so taken aback by his audacity that a laugh escaped her lips, a sound devoid of any humor.

“So this is all my fault? Mars, I completely misjudged you. I thought you were just a scumbag with no morals, but your nerve is thicker than a fortress wall! And your heart is utterly rotten!”

“You!” Mars gasped, his breath coming in heavy bursts of frustration.

“Autumn, I’m trying to be reasonable here. You’d better take the out I’m offering you!” His voice was strained, a final attempt to regain control of the spiraling conversation.