The Day I Quit Him (Autumn and Mars) novel Chapter 230

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

Oliver’s temper ignited like a match struck against a rough surface. “Mars, you—” he began, his voice trembling with barely contained rage. The insolence dripping from Marn’s tone was unbearable, a bitter reminder of the simmering resentment that had festered between them.

But just as Oliver felt the heat of his anger bubbling over, Mrs. Lopez intervened, her hand clasping his wrist with a gentle yet firm grip. She shook her head subtly, a silent plea for restraint that Oliver could not ignore.

The Lopez family was teetering on the edge of disaster. Lydia’s disfigurement had changed everything, and Mars still held significant sway over their future. They could not afford to provoke him, not now, not when everything was hanging by a thread.

Oliver inhaled deeply, forcing himself to swallow the venomous words that threatened to spill from his lips. He huffed, a sound filled with frustration. “You know, it’s astonishing how people can change. You used to call us ‘Mom’ and ‘Dad,’ acting as if you were practically our son. Who could have imagined our families would end up at each other’s throats like this?”

Mars regarded him with a sneer, his face devoid of any remorse. “And you honestly don’t understand why that is?” His gaze flicked over the three of them, a look of disdain etched across his features.

“It’s one thing to refuse to help me,” Oliver pressed on, his voice rising with indignation, “but to engage in underhanded schemes behind my back? That’s a whole different level of betrayal.”

“How dare you even speak to me like that?” Mars shot back, his voice laced with contempt. “Have you forgotten that it was you who sent your younger daughter to steal her sister’s man?”

“Are you seriously trying to resurrect old grievances?” Oliver retorted, his patience wearing thin.

Mars’s taunting words ignited the smoldering embers of Oliver’s fury. With a sudden motion, he shrugged off Mrs. Lopez’s attempt to restrain him, his voice booming. “You expect me to just sit here and take this?”

“Look at this little brat’s attitude! Do you really think the Lopez family would crumble without him?” Mars laughed mockingly, the sound sharp and biting.

“I’m telling you, Wright,” Oliver said, his voice low but charged with intensity, “I don’t care if you want to marry her or not. You slept with my daughter, and you will take responsibility for that!”

“Or else I’ll make sure your company is the center of a scandal every single day! Cloudbreak hasn’t been landing any contracts lately, has it? If you want to be famous for yet another scandal, go ahead and back out now!”

At that moment, Oliver saw the color drain from Mars’s face, a sign that his threat had struck home.

It was a blow he hadn’t anticipated from Oliver, who usually seemed oblivious to the undercurrents of their situation. That realization only fueled Mars’s anger.

Once, he had been the golden boy, the one the Lopez family adored. Now, they felt like parasites, clinging to him, desperate to drain him of whatever remained of his goodwill.

“I can marry Lydia,” Mars declared, after a moment of contemplation, his tone deceptively calm. “But I want shares in the Lopez Group as part of the deal.”

“Over my dead body!” Oliver swore vehemently, disbelief coloring his voice.

“You’re delaying marrying my daughter, and now you want our company’s stock?” Mars shot back, his expression cold.

If Lydia hadn’t been disfigured and if their scandalous affair hadn’t been exposed—destroying her value in the marriage market—this would never even be on the table! Oliver had never intended for both of his daughters to be entangled with Mars.

Autumn had severed ties completely, and in doing so, she had tarnished Mars’s reputation. Without her, his business had plummeted.

Oliver would have to be insane to sacrifice one daughter to ally himself with a man who had lost his luster.

But the harsh truth loomed over him: if he didn’t cut his losses by marrying Lydia off to Mars, she would be stuck with them forever.

If only Mars would just hold his nose and marry her, even if it was out of obligation, Oliver might have considered that there was still a shred of decency left in him.

Yet, Mars had the audacity to declare, “That’s impossible.” Who could tolerate such arrogance?

So, Mars would reap all the benefits, and now that he believed there was nothing left for him, he thought he could simply toss Lydia aside? How was that even remotely fair?

“Fine, don’t give them to me,” Mars shrugged, his indifference palpable. “Then go ahead and find another potential husband for Lydia.”

“There are people in our social circles with… peculiar tastes. Perhaps someone like Lydia would be more suited to them?”

Oliver and Mrs. Lopez exchanged shocked glances, their eyes wide with disbelief. For a fleeting moment, it felt as if they were staring at a stranger.

Ignoring her mother’s questions, Lydia clutched her stomach protectively, her eyes locked onto Mars. “The baby is yours, Mars. And just a reminder—you haven’t been able to perform ever since you got scared. This baby might be your only chance at fatherhood.”

“If you don’t marry me, I’ll terminate the pregnancy immediately. And I’ll ensure everyone knows our entire story.”

“The choice is yours,” she declared, her voice steady despite the storm raging around them.

Mars could hardly believe Lydia would so brazenly expose his vulnerabilities. Heat flooded his face, and he instinctively covered his lower body, his voice low and strained as he said, “If you’re pregnant, I’ll consider marriage. But my terms remain unchanged.”

“It’s true I want a child,” he continued, “but let’s not forget how advanced modern medicine is. It’s not as if I can’t have another. But you, Lydia, once people find out you were pregnant and had an abortion, no one will want you.”

Mars scoffed. “For the sake of you carrying my child, I won’t treat you poorly.”

Lydia was taken aback by Mars’s shamelessness. Even her pregnancy seemed to fuel his arrogance rather than soften his heart.

Her shoulders sagged in defeat. For the first time, she was overwhelmed by regret.

All this, for a man like him… She had sacrificed so much.

Autumn’s revenge had been swift and merciless.

One by one, her friends had abandoned her, leaving her isolated.

The wealthy suitors from their social circle who once pursued her had all blocked and deleted her from their lives.

With Mars as the only option left, the thought that Autumn had become Mrs. Sterling while she remained shackled to Mars filled Lydia with a simmering jealousy and rage.

Why… Why did Autumn get to have it all?