The Day I Quit Him (Autumn and Mars) novel Chapter 240

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

With Nathan Parker’s shocking revelation, the world around him seemed to simplify in an instant.

He had no ties to Autumn Lopez—none that could be traced, at least. A police inquiry would reveal nothing more than the standard, professional exchanges that anyone might expect.

But Nathan’s story was far more tangled. The investigation would undoubtedly uncover the truth, and the young woman he had been shielding for far too long would be thrust into the spotlight, exposed before both Mrs. Parker and Madelyn Carter.

“It’s really her?”

Mrs. Parker and Madelyn stood frozen in disbelief, their minds racing as they processed the implications. They were well aware of who Nathan’s mistress was.

“Nathan Parker, you absolute scoundrel! You’re a monster! Even a rabbit knows better than to graze near its own burrow, yet you chose to prey on one of the scholarship students we support?”

Mrs. Parker’s voice trembled with fury, her family’s devout nature weighing heavily on her heart. Each year, they contributed a significant sum to charitable causes, believing that their generosity would bring blessings upon their family, ensuring prosperity and long, healthy lives for its members.

In the past, Mrs. Parker had personally overseen the charity work. Yet, one year, illness had prevented her from managing it herself. During a minor hiccup with the foundation, she had turned to Nathan for assistance. After his first experience, he returned home, brimming with enthusiasm, praising her family for their benevolence.

Seeing his genuine interest, Mrs. Parker had decided to entrust him with the foundation’s management.

“We’re all family here. If you want to contribute, my parents would be overjoyed. It’s a wonderful way for you to build some good karma. And if your company ever faces a scandal, you can leverage this goodwill to manage public perception,” she had said, her voice warm with hope.

Such practices were common among the affluent, and Nathan had not been surprised. As long as their money was put to good use, their consciences remained unburdened.

It was during the process of evaluating scholarship candidates that Nathan first laid eyes on her. She was a bright young woman hailing from a remote, mountainous region, responsible for two younger sisters and a brother.

Having risen from humble beginnings himself, Nathan felt an immediate connection to her struggles. Initially, his intentions were purely protective, devoid of any ulterior motives. But as tensions with Mrs. Parker escalated, his yearning for a child intensified, especially after attending a golden wedding anniversary where his peers reveled in the joy of their children and grandchildren, while he felt the emptiness of his own life.

That fateful night, intoxicated and lost in his thoughts, Nathan’s car service dropped him off at the young woman’s address. Stumbling through the door, he found her waiting, concern etched on her face. She helped him inside, her gentle demeanor soothing his inebriated state, and she tended to him throughout the night.

As dawn broke, Nathan awoke to find her sleeping peacefully beside him. In that moment, something within him snapped, and he lost all sense of restraint.

From that night onward, the nature of their relationship shifted irrevocably. Nathan wrestled with his conscience for a time, but when the young woman revealed her pregnancy, he succumbed completely to the chaos he had created.

“Nathan Parker, you’ve truly outdone yourself!”

“I trusted you! I handed over the foundation to you, and you used it to indulge your desires!”

Mrs. Parker’s heartbreak was palpable as she glared at Nathan, her eyes filled with betrayal. “Tell me! How many other girls have you exploited through the foundation? How many innocent lives have you tarnished? I want names, Nathan! One by one!”

Madelyn, too, stared at her uncle, her expression a mix of shock and disbelief.

In her mind, he had always been the epitome of charm and sophistication, a cultured man who had once inspired her admiration. She had envied the bond between her aunt and uncle, never once suspecting that he would stoop to such a disgraceful act as infidelity with a much younger woman.

Though she had previously been eager to catch him in the act, she had found no concrete evidence. But now, the truth lay bare before her, and the revelation that the girl was pregnant made her stomach churn. It felt as if the very essence of the man she had once respected had morphed into something grotesque.

“I didn’t do that!”

Nathan’s voice came out hoarse and defensive. “Is that really how you see me?”

“I have never betrayed you in all these years! This is the first time!”

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