The Day I Quit Him (Autumn and Mars) novel Chapter 232

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

**Chapter 232**

Owen Bennett had been waiting an eternity to hear those words escape her lips.

In his mind, he had always prided himself on being a patient hunter, someone who knew how to bide his time and wait for the perfect moment.

Yet, standing there, he suddenly realized that the roles had shifted; he was no longer the hunter but had unwittingly become the prey.

He had assumed he was the one steering the ship, but unbeknownst to him, Autumn had been deftly manipulating his emotions, tugging at his heartstrings without him even being aware of it.

Just one word from her could illuminate his entire day like a ray of sunshine breaking through a cloudy sky.

For a man like Owen, who thrived on control and order, this was a bewildering and exhilarating experience.

His instinctual response had always been to eliminate any potential threat to his calm demeanor.

He was a fortress, impervious to emotional upheaval—until Autumn came along.

To his astonishment, he found himself relishing this vulnerability, embracing it like a warm embrace on a cold day.

He had never fully comprehended how individuals within his social circle could defy their families for the sake of love, engaging in acts that seemed utterly irrational.

But in this moment of clarity, he understood. When you discover something genuine, something real, you would willingly sacrifice everything just to be near that person.

Fortunately, this epiphany had not come too late in the game.

And even more fortuitously, that person was Autumn.

Owen didn’t have to endure a long wait in the dimly lit parking garage. Before long, Autumn and Nina emerged, arms linked together, radiating a closeness that resembled that of sisters.

As their eyes locked, Owen noticed a shy blush creep across Autumn’s cheeks, a delicate hue that made his heart race.

Her instinct was to lower her gaze, but she fought against it, managing only to avert her eyes.

Owen felt a tightening in his throat, his pulse quickening at the sight of her.

Sensing the heavy silence that enveloped them, Nina cleared her throat twice, her hands clasped behind her back as she feigned annoyance. “Hey, hello? I’m still here, you know! Could you two tone it down a bit? I’m starting to feel like a total third wheel!”

Owen shot her a pointed look. “Aren’t you?” he retorted bluntly.

Nina fell silent, momentarily taken aback.

“Autumn, do you see this guy?”

Nina tugged at Autumn’s arm, her voice shifting to a playful whine. “My brother has lost all sense of self-awareness now that he’s a married man. He’s ancient, yet he still delights in teasing people just like we did when we were kids.

“Autumn, you’ve got to rein him in. Teach him how to behave like a grown-up, for heaven’s sake!”

This elicited a genuine laugh from Autumn. She glanced at Owen, giving him a once-over, but her gaze landed on a particular spot, and she looked away so quickly it was as if she had touched something hot.

Clearing her throat, she managed to say, a touch flustered, “Actually, your brother is always very mature.”

What Autumn meant was that Owen displayed this playful side only around family.

But that wasn’t the impression Nina got. “Oh?”

Her eyes sparkled with curiosity, a glimmer of mischief dancing within them. “So, Autumn, what’s he really like when it’s just the two of you? Is he still this… proper? Does he ever ask for, you know, kisses?”

Autumn was taken aback that Nina would even dare to ask such a question.

Just as she was about to respond, Owen swiftly intervened.

He stepped forward, grabbing Nina by the back of her collar and pulling her away. “Hey, whoa, whoa—” Nina yelped, her eyes wide. “Dude! Do you have any idea how hard it was to get this? It’s a limited-edition collab, you know? Don’t you dare rip it!”

Owen rolled his eyes, exasperated.

“My aunt and uncle are far too lenient with you. Letting you squander money on all this junk.”

Nina exploded with indignation. “What do you mean, ‘junk’? This is endorsed by my favorite celebrity, and it’s a collab with my favorite video game! Do you even realize how many people I had to enlist to help me snag this?”

“This shirt is priceless!”

Owen was about to retort, but Autumn quickly interjected.

“Why are you arguing with a kid like Nina? It’s priceless to her. What’s wrong with her liking a shirt? You might be too old to get it, but you could at least show some respect.”

With Autumn on her side, Nina lifted her chin triumphantly and made a face at Owen. “Yeah! Exactly!”

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