The Day I Quit Him (Autumn and Mars) novel Chapter 47

**Chasing Light, Finding Peace – by Rohan Verma**
**Chapter 47**

Time seemed to stretch endlessly, each second elongating like a rubber band pulled to its breaking point.

The gasps of shock that erupted from the crowd around Autumn Lopez echoed in her ears, reverberating like distant thunder in a vast canyon.

Instinctively, she wrapped her arms protectively around her belly, a futile gesture against the impending chaos that threatened her and the fragile life growing within her.

Deep down, she knew that no amount of shielding could save her unborn child from the catastrophic fallout of the situation unfolding around her.

A sudden, fierce wave of hatred surged through her veins, igniting an inferno of anger that coursed through her body.

This entire nightmare was the result of Mars Wright’s reckless behavior.

Why did he insist on haunting her like a specter, showing up intoxicated and wreaking havoc at the Bennett Group headquarters?

If only he had chosen to stay away, this horrific scene could have been entirely avoided!

Grief and fury twisted within her, creating a tempest of emotions. If she were to lose her baby, she vowed that Mars Wright would pay dearly for his irresponsible actions.

Thud.

The sensation of collision jolted her, yet to her astonishment, the impact was surprisingly gentle.

As she blinked her eyes open, disbelief washed over her like a tidal wave. A human barricade had interposed itself between her and the unforgiving pillar that threatened to crush her.

The man standing before her, with broad shoulders that radiated strength and security, was a sight for sore eyes. He stood tall and wide, effectively shielding her from harm, blocking even the edge of the pillar from her line of sight.

“You…”

Autumn’s eyes widened in shock, still grappling with the surreal reality that Owen Bennett had materialized out of nowhere to catch her.

“Mr. Bennett, are you all right?”

The receptionist and security personnel sprang into action, rushing to fuss over Owen with concern etched on their faces.

But Owen’s focus remained solely on Autumn, steadying her until she was firmly on her feet, only releasing her once he was sure she was stable.

“I’m fine,” he assured her, his voice snapping her back to the present.

A wave of relief washed over her as she processed the fact that he had saved her, that her baby was unharmed.

“Mr. Bennett?”

Not far away, Mars and his rowdy companions were oblivious to Autumn’s well-being. Their eyes were fixated on Owen, glinting with the eagerness of men who had just stumbled upon a golden opportunity.

The shock of the moment had sobered Mars considerably. Dusting off his clothes from where he had fallen, he hastily straightened his rumpled attire and limped toward Owen. With an insincere smile plastered across his face, he shoved Autumn behind him. “Thank you so much for saving my wife and child, Mr. Bennett! You’re a real hero.”

Autumn felt her stomach churn as she froze in place, staring at the back of Mars’s head, her eyes brimming with disgust.

How could he be this shameless?

He was the architect of this chaos, and now he dared to stand there, lavishing gratitude on Owen.

The bitter irony was that the baby nestled within her was, in fact, Owen’s, and she was on the brink of becoming his wife.

Mars was nothing more than a pathetic clown, inserting himself between her and Owen, performing a nauseating charade as if he were the man of the house.

Feeling Owen’s gaze land on her, Autumn quickly looked up, her heart racing.

The annoyance and coldness in his eyes were unmistakable; he was furious.

Of course he is, she thought, her mind racing. Mars nearly harmed the child he professes to care about, and now he’s groveling at Owen’s feet. It would be strange if Owen wasn’t angry.

As she reflected on Owen’s recent act of heroism, shame washed over her like a cold tide.

This moment was beyond mortifying. Her soon-to-be ex-husband was debasing himself before her future husband. The thought made her skin crawl.

Regret surged through her, a deep-seated loathing for Mars intensifying with every passing second.

“Mars, just go home.”

She didn’t want him to embarrass himself further in front of Owen. She simply wanted him to disappear from her life.

Mars desperately tried to salvage the situation, invoking his title as the president of Cloudbreak Corporation, as if it held any weight in this moment.

Unfortunately, Owen remained unmoved, his eyes steely and unwavering.

“Mr. Bennett, the young lady was here to see someone at our company,” the receptionist interjected, her tone mindful of Autumn’s condition.

Owen grunted in acknowledgment, his gaze shifting to Autumn. “We have a clinic upstairs,” he said slowly, each word deliberate. “Go get yourself checked out.”

Autumn hesitated, wanting to refuse, but Owen had already turned and begun walking away. After a brief moment of indecision, she decided to follow him.

“Wait, Autumn!”

“Take me with you!”

This was Mars’s chance to infiltrate the Bennett Group. He shouted at the top of his lungs, “I’m her husband! If you’re taking my wife for a check-up, I have to go with her!”

Onlookers had pieced together the unfolding drama and couldn’t help but chuckle.

“This drunk dude is something else. One moment he’s yelling that his wife is cheating on him, and the next, he’s desperately trying to kiss up to the guy.”

“I feel so bad for his wife. If Mr. Bennett hadn’t intervened, her baby could’ve been seriously harmed. But the drunk guy seems indifferent. He’s just focused on ingratiating himself with the CEO, and he has the audacity to accuse her of infidelity? How shameless can you get?”

“That’s just how some guys are, right? A few drinks and they think they run the world.”

“So embarrassing…”

The murmurs of the crowd ignited a firestorm of rage within Mars.

The security guards, sensing his escalating fury, tightened their grip and ushered them out to the parking lot area, issuing sharp warnings before departing.

Mars nearly collapsed, but his friends rushed to catch him just in time, preventing another tumble.

“Hey, Mars, something’s off,” one of his buddies remarked, concern etched on his face. “It looked like Autumn and that Mr. Bennett already had a connection. Why would a guy like him randomly save a pregnant woman he’s never met?”

In the aftermath of the chaos, Autumn stood on the precipice of a new chapter in her life, the weight of her past beginning to lift as she embraced the present. The scene with Mars had been a grotesque reminder of the turmoil she had endured, but Owen’s unwavering support had ignited a flicker of hope within her. As she followed him, the warmth of his presence enveloped her, banishing the shadows cast by her estranged husband. The realization that she was no longer alone, that she had someone willing to protect her and their child, filled her with a profound sense of peace. The emotional storm she had weathered was not in vain; it had led her to this moment, where love and safety blossomed amidst the wreckage of her past.
Yet, as she glanced back at Mars, a mixture of pity and disdain washed over her. His desperate attempts to cling to power and relevance only underscored the stark contrast between them. She was done allowing his reckless behavior to dictate her life. With Owen by her side, she felt emboldened to reclaim her narrative, to chase the light that now illuminated her path forward. The echoes of the crowd’s laughter faded into the background, replaced by the steady rhythm of her heartbeat, a promise of resilience and newfound strength. Autumn was ready to step into the future, not as a victim of circumstances but as a woman who had found her voice and her peace.