The Day I Quit Him (Autumn and Mars) novel Chapter 55

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

**Chapter 55**

“Autumn…”

Mars Wright stood in a hospital room that felt more like a pressure cooker than a place of healing. The air was thick with tension, and it seemed as though time had come to a standstill, leaving him trapped in a moment laden with unexpressed emotions.

Inside, a storm of words churned within him, each one desperate to break free, yet they remained stuck, lodged in his throat like stones. The weight of the situation pressed down on him, suffocating him with its intensity. Panic began to creep into his chest, tightening its grip with every passing second.

“It’s just a misunderstanding, sis. You’re not really angry, are you? I know it’s entirely my fault for coming to the hospital. Maybe I should just head home,” he stammered, his voice barely audible, a mere whisper against the backdrop of the sterile hospital room.

In that moment of chaos, it was Lydia Lopez who emerged as an unexpected beacon of hope. With her characteristic blend of gentle assertiveness, she deftly shifted the simmering tension away from Mars and onto Autumn Lopez, the very person who had remained silent throughout the ordeal.

“Autumn, you’re blowing this way out of proportion. You’re being overly aggressive for no reason. Lydia’s right; the doctor and nurse simply misinterpreted the situation. There’s no need to make this uncomfortable for everyone, is there?”

“Besides, Lydia is your sister. Right now, her health is the priority. Can’t you just let this go?”

As Autumn’s gaze fell upon the doctor and nurse, their expressions revealing a mix of embarrassment and concern, she felt an overwhelming wave of futility wash over her. The realization that her reaction had only escalated the situation gnawed at her.

Turning her icy stare back to Mars, she uttered a flat, “Oh.”

“Looks like my presence here is only causing unhappiness. I’ll just leave then,” she said, her voice void of warmth, a chilling contrast to the emotional turmoil swirling around them.

With that, she pivoted sharply and strode away, her posture radiating an unexpected sense of liberation, as if she were shedding the burdens of the moment with each determined step.

Suddenly, an unsettling panic gripped Mars’s heart, a visceral fear that something precious was slipping away from him forever.

“Autumn!” he called out, urgency threading through his tone as he remembered her delicate condition. “Wait a second—”

He lifted his foot, poised to chase after her, but the soft sob that escaped Lydia’s lips shattered the moment. “Mars, you need to go after her. I’ll be okay on my own. My sister and the baby are what truly matter.”

Her words sank in like stones, and the foot he had raised felt as though it were encased in lead, heavy and immovable.

He turned to face Lydia, whose face was pale, her frail form trembling as if she might collapse at any moment.

In that heartbeat, the thought of pursuing Autumn vanished, replaced by a heavy heart and a sense of duty.

With a reluctant sigh, he pulled out his phone and typed a quick message to Autumn: [Just head home and get some rest. Don’t let what happened earlier bother you; it was just some outsiders making a silly joke. Take care.]

Once he pressed send, he pocketed his phone and bent down, affectionately tousling Lydia’s hair. His voice was a gentle caress, a balm for the tension that still lingered in the air. “Silly girl. While they may seem important, you’re the one who’s here in the hospital. How could I possibly leave you all alone?”

“Alright, don’t be sad. Get some rest. If there’s anything you want to eat, just let me know, and I’ll have someone bring it over,” he added, his tone filled with warmth, a stark contrast to the chill that had enveloped the room moments before.

Lydia’s tears transformed into a radiant smile as she looked up at Mars, her eyes sparkling with affection. “Mars, you’re so good to me.”

“Who else would I be good to?” he replied, a hint of playfulness dancing in his voice, momentarily lifting the weight of the room.

The doctor and nurse observed the two of them, their gazes locked in mutual admiration, unable to suppress the glances they exchanged.

Unsurprisingly, they both felt a mix of disgust and helplessness in the other’s eyes.

In that instant, they felt like unwitting participants in a farcical play.

What they thought would be a simple medical visit had devolved into a melodramatic spectacle.

The brother-in-law and the wife’s sister… Ugh…

The nurse stifled a small gag, unable to contain her reaction.

The sound startled the love-struck duo, and Mars suddenly remembered the presence of others in the room. A flicker of awkwardness crossed his face, but he quickly brushed it aside, asking, “So, how is she?”

At this, the nurse nearly gave Mars a thumbs-up.

Just what one would expect from a man entangled in such a scandalous affair. His audacity was astonishing.

“It’s nothing serious. The cut on the patient’s wrist isn’t deep. With some ointment and rest, it’ll heal quickly. The key is for the family to be attentive to the patient’s mental health to prevent this from happening again,” she explained, her tone professional and devoid of emotion.

The doctor hesitated, almost saying that the cut on Lydia’s wrist was barely a scratch, but he held back, sensing the tension in the air.

Unfortunately, Mars completely missed the implication.

“Wait, mental? Is there something wrong with her mentally?” he asked nervously, his brows knitting together in concern, his heart racing at the thought of Lydia suffering more than he realized.

“Doctor, are you saying she’s… mentally ill?”

Lydia’s expression turned to one of disbelief.

She barely managed to keep her composure, shooting the doctor a sharp glare that could cut through steel.

In the end, the doctor opted for discretion, softly stating, “You’d need to consult a psychiatrist or therapist to determine that.”

Feeling he had shared all he could, he offered a few more instructions before leading the nurse out of the room.

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