The Day I Quit Him (Autumn and Mars) novel Chapter 239

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

Nathan Parker’s thunderous shout cut through the clamor of the room, leaving an unsettling silence in its wake.

Mrs. Parker and Madelyn Carter exchanged bewildered glances, their expressions reflecting a mixture of shock and disbelief, as if they had just been dealt a staggering blow that left them momentarily paralyzed.

“What did you just say?” Mrs. Parker’s voice trembled, barely above a whisper.

Never in her wildest dreams had she anticipated hearing such a word emerge from Nathan’s lips. After years of shared moments, laughter, and even the occasional argument, she had genuinely nurtured feelings for him. The thought that he would hurl the term “divorce” at her, especially in front of an audience, felt like a betrayal she could scarcely comprehend.

How could he dare to speak such a thing? What audacity gave him the right to bring this up at all?

“Uncle Nathan, are you out of your mind? Do you even realize what you’re saying? You want to end your marriage with my aunt?”

Madelyn’s voice rang out, filled with disbelief and anger.

“Are you some sort of monster? Have you forgotten all that she has done for you? How could you even think of divorce?”

Her face was a fierce mask of accusation as she glared at Nathan, her eyes blazing with indignation. In her mind, Nathan had always been the type to bend under pressure, a man who wouldn’t dare stand up for himself. The fact that he was now contemplating such a drastic step left her reeling.

Isn’t this the kind of thing he wouldn’t even dream of?

“And why shouldn’t I?” Nathan shot back, a spark of defiance igniting within him.

With the utterance of the word “divorce,” it felt as though chains that had bound him for too long were finally shattered. The weight that had been pressing down on him like an insurmountable mountain seemed to have lifted.

A sense of liberation washed over Nathan, and he couldn’t suppress the faint smile that crept onto his lips.

“I’ve had enough,” he declared, his voice steady and resolute.

“I’ve truly, genuinely had enough.”

He met the eyes of his wife and her niece, his expression revealing nothing but the relief of newfound freedom, devoid of any hint of regret or apprehension about the impending divorce.

“Your family has been kind to me, yes, but respect? That has always been absent.”

“You often claim that I wouldn’t have achieved anything without your support, but let’s be honest—I’m the one who went out and secured clients. I’m the one who burned the midnight oil with my team to ensure we met deadlines.”

“I poured my heart and soul into expanding our market, building my own brand, and establishing a network of companies, all in hopes that eventually, I would earn your respect and hold my head high among you.”

“But the reality is, no matter how successful I became, I remained a second-class citizen in your eyes.”

“Madelyn, you’re practically glued to your aunt’s side. You of all people should witness how she treats me!”

“How can you dare to say she’s been good to me? Don’t I treat her like royalty at home?”

“I step out for a single dinner with a business associate, and you rush in, accusing me of infidelity. And now you bring your aunt here to create a scene? Why do you loathe seeing me succeed so much?”

“Even if I were unfaithful, it’s because the two of you pushed me to it! This has nothing to do with anyone else!”

It was as if Nathan was unleashing a torrent of pent-up grievances, each word more fervent than the last.

His voice grew louder, his message clearer, and soon enough, a flicker of sympathy rippled through the onlookers.

Except for Autumn and her two companions, who remained unmoved.

Nina, with a curl of disdain on her lips, cut through Nathan’s self-pitying tirade.

“That was quite the speech, but if you’re so courageous, why drag an innocent person into this mess? What has my sister-in-law ever done to you? We were merely trying to enjoy a nice dinner, and suddenly she’s being labeled as the other woman. And you stood there, shamelessly silent while she was attacked. What gives you the right?”

Nathan’s gaze dropped to the floor, shame washing over him.

“You’re right, that was my mistake.”

“I thought… Ms. Lopez has a stable marriage. I assumed if my wife made a scene, Ms. Lopez would have a solid alibi to clear her name quickly. I was also hoping to use this to put my wife in her place, to make her stop with all the drama… I never imagined she would act so recklessly…”

This only fueled Nina’s fury further. “What does my sister-in-law’s happiness have to do with you? Just because she’s content, you think you can use her as a pawn? Who do you think you are!”

They were all taken to the station. After a series of questions and investigations, the police uncovered that Hailey had been the one to tip Madelyn off.

Madelyn was incredulous, realizing she had been used as a pawn. Anger surged within her, and she longed to lash out at someone.

But in the confines of the station, all she could do was shoot Hailey a venomous glare and hiss, “And I thought you were my friend! I can’t believe you’re this cruel!”

“You were setting me up from the very beginning, weren’t you? You purposely sent me to catch him cheating, but your real goal was to turn me against Autumn Lopez, right?”

“I was such a fool! I thought since you two weren’t related, you wouldn’t accuse her without evidence. And when I saw them dining together, I genuinely believed they were having an affair. I can’t believe you deceived me!”

“How could you do this to me!”

With each word, Madelyn’s fury escalated, and she dragged Ava Henderson into the fray.

“You and Ava Henderson were right there with me, calling out the ‘mistress.’ I thought you were genuinely on my side, but you were just using me for your own agenda!”

When Nina heard Ava’s name mentioned, she couldn’t help but turn to Owen, her brow furrowing in confusion. “Owen, is she talking about that Ava Henderson? The one from our family?”

Autumn wasn’t surprised by their conversation.

She had sensed for some time that Ava harbored resentment towards her.

But she never imagined that Ava was the mastermind behind this entire debacle.

Owen glanced at Autumn, squeezing her hand with reassurance. “Don’t worry,” he said, his voice steady and comforting. “I’ll make this right for you.”

Autumn and Ava had no connection to one another. The only reason Ava would target Autumn was because of him.

Owen felt no pride or satisfaction in being pursued; instead, he felt a growing annoyance.

He turned to Nina. “Stay with Autumn. I need to make a call.”