The Day I Quit Him (Autumn and Mars) novel Chapter 234

**Chapter 234**

Autumn Lopez had never envisioned that her history with Owen Bennett could be so intricate and layered.

As she reflected on their past, it struck her like a bolt of lightning—everything that had once felt odd and out of place now fit together seamlessly.

No wonder Owen had rushed to her the moment he learned about the baby, broaching the topic of marriage with a fervor she hadn’t anticipated.

At the time, she had thought his eagerness was a bit impulsive, perhaps even reckless.

Yet, as she considered her own actions, she realized that she was the one who had been reckless all along.

After all, it was she who had said yes to a marriage proposal without fully grasping the complexities of their situation, only to hesitate and withdraw due to their differing social standings.

From the very beginning, it wasn’t solely Owen who had made a choice; she had chosen him just as much.

With a deep sigh, Autumn felt as though a thick fog had finally lifted from her mind, revealing clarity she had long sought.

“Why didn’t you tell me sooner?” she asked, her voice laced with a mix of frustration and playfulness.

She shot Owen a teasing look, her eyes sparkling with mischief. “If you had spilled the beans earlier, I might have actually recognized you.”

As he gazed at her, seeing this soft, unguarded side of her, Owen felt his heart warm and swell.

“You hadn’t logged on in ages. I thought you had given up gaming altogether,” he replied, a hint of nostalgia in his tone.

Autumn’s expression grew wistful at the memory of those carefree days.

“It really has been a long time since I last played,” she admitted, her voice dropping slightly.

After discovering her pregnancy, Mars Wright had transformed into a veritable tyrant.

One moment, he would warn her that staring at her phone for too long would ruin her eyesight and jeopardize the baby’s health.

The next, he’d insist that using a computer would expose her to harmful radiation.

Her usual work became a struggle, let alone indulging in video games.

She vividly recalled the look of disgust on Mars’s face when he first learned of her passion for violent shooter games.

“What kind of respectable girl plays games like this? If people found out you spent your time on this shoot-’em-up nonsense, do you really think they wouldn’t judge you?”

“If word gets out, what will they say? That Mars Wright married a two-faced woman who appears all refined in public but secretly relishes this bloody, violent stuff? They might think you’re a psycho. They’d probably even believe that the ‘you’ in the game is the real you.”

“Just stop playing. You’re the chief secretary at Cloudbreak Corporation now. Wouldn’t that time be better spent figuring out how to manage client relationships?”

Autumn had wanted to argue fiercely.

After all, there was no rule stating that women couldn’t enjoy first-person shooters.

Loving violent games didn’t equate to being violent.

Video games were meant for entertainment and relaxation; everyone should be free to play whatever they desired.

But back then, Autumn had deemed gaming a trivial matter.

It hardly seemed worth igniting a massive confrontation with Mars over it.

So, she had swallowed her retorts and remained silent.

Looking back, she realized that Mars’s behavior was classic gaslighting.

Their differing values manifested in these seemingly minor issues.

At that time, she had been willing to sacrifice her own happiness for him.

Now, as she refused to tolerate it any longer, his true, unsightly nature had been laid bare before her.

“It’s cool, Autumn,” Nina chimed in, noticing Autumn’s distant gaze.

Assuming her friend was lost in nostalgic memories of epic gaming battles, she gave her a reassuring pat on the back. “We’ll play together later. I promise we’ll get you right back in the zone!”

Autumn instinctively glanced at Owen, her heart fluttering with curiosity.

She desperately wanted to know his thoughts on this.

He was a man, just like Mars. Would he prioritize the baby over her enjoyment? Would he think that her gaming while pregnant could somehow harm their child?

Meeting Autumn’s hopeful gaze, Owen smiled softly, his eyes reflecting understanding. “Nina, don’t pressure Autumn.”

With each word, the hope in Autumn’s eyes faded, piece by piece.

So, it seemed all men were fundamentally the same on this issue, weren’t they?

Her gaze flitted around the room, only to land on Owen’s smiling eyes, which made her heart race even faster.

Owen watched her shy demeanor, his throat tightening with emotion.

Now that her pregnancy was becoming more apparent, Autumn exuded a radiant maternal glow.

This bashful, timid expression was utterly captivating.

Owen couldn’t help but sigh internally, wrestling with the bittersweet thought.

I found her again too late.

If only it had been sooner…

But in this world, there were no “if onlys.”

And because of that, Owen vowed to cherish this reunion even more fiercely.

Gratefully, Autumn had successfully divorced. They were on the brink of marriage and would soon welcome a child that belonged to them.

In that moment, Owen felt a profound sense of gratitude to the universe.

He was thankful that just before he had completely surrendered hope for marriage and fatherhood, fate had delivered his wife and child to him.

He would treasure them fiercely and ensure they never experienced even the slightest bit of suffering.

The restaurant Owen had chosen was nothing short of spectacular.

With her pregnancy appetite in full swing, Autumn devoured her meal with such enthusiasm that she inspired Owen and Nina to eat until they were completely stuffed.

“Man, Autumn, it’s so satisfying to watch you eat. If I dined with you every day, my parents would never have to fret about me being a picky eater again,” Owen remarked, his voice tinged with amusement.

He saw right through Nina’s antics and flicked her playfully on the forehead. “Nice try. Stop trying to latch onto Autumn. She’s busy and doesn’t have time to babysit you.”

Nina, unfazed and unabashed, stuck out her tongue in defiance. “That’s not your decision to make! I’m following Autumn’s lead!”

She then turned to Autumn, her eyes wide and pleading. “Autumn, what do you think?”

“It wouldn’t be any trouble to have me around, right?”

Just as Autumn was about to respond, a sharp, condescending voice sliced through the air. “Well, if it isn’t the damn homewrecker. Found yourself a new target, have you?”