The Day I Quit Him (Autumn and Mars) novel Chapter 60

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

“We’re here,” the assistant’s voice rang out, reverberating slightly in the cramped confines of the elevator.

In that instant, Autumn felt the weight of his gaze upon her, a scrutiny that sent a shiver down her spine. It was as if he were dissecting her very essence, trying to unravel the mystery of who she was.

Deep down, she brushed off his attention. Why should it matter? After all, their paths were unlikely to intersect again. She had no interest in expending mental energy on someone who would soon fade into the background of her memory.

As the elevator doors slid open with a soft chime, the assistant remained rooted in place, seemingly lost in a reverie. Autumn, sensing the awkwardness, decided to give him a gentle nudge. “You coming?” she asked, stepping out first.

His daze shattered, the assistant’s cheeks flushed a bright crimson. “Coming!” he called out, hastily scrambling to follow her lead.

Autumn navigated the corridor toward Lydia’s hospital room, her heart pounding with a mix of anxiety and determination. Just as she was about to knock, the door swung open abruptly, revealing Mars Wright, his expression a tempest of irritation and impatience.

“What took you so long? Didn’t you see the text I sent you? I asked you to grab something for Lydia on your way here!” he barked, his tone sharp enough to cut through the tension in the air.

Autumn raised an eyebrow, glancing at her phone with a feigned innocence. “I didn’t see it,” she replied flatly, trying to mask her annoyance.

“You and that phone of yours… It’s like it doesn’t even exist. You never look at it, you don’t answer calls, and you certainly don’t reply to texts. What’s even the point of having one?” His frustration was palpable, echoing in the corridor like a thunderclap.

“It would have been much easier if you had just brought it yourself. Now someone has to go back down and buy it,” she countered, her voice steady, but her heart raced with the weight of their unspoken tensions.

“Why is it so hard to get you to do one little thing?” he exclaimed, his exasperation spilling over.

In his moment of ire, Mars hadn’t noticed the assistant lingering just behind Autumn. As his tirade subsided, he finally caught sight of the young man, who was now staring at the floor as if it might open up and swallow him whole.

Mars’s demeanor shifted abruptly; his irritation gave way to a sudden awareness. He loved to poke fun at Autumn at the office, often using work-related issues as a shield for his barbs. But even he recognized that his recent comments had crossed a line.

A flicker of awkwardness crossed his features, and he cleared his throat, hastily redirecting the conversation. “Uh, what are you doing here?” he asked the assistant, his voice attempting to regain its usual composure.

The assistant, who had been doing his utmost to become invisible, straightened up at the sound of Mars’s voice. “Mr. Wright, there’s a backlog of documents waiting for your signature,” he replied, his tone professional yet slightly nervous.

Mars grunted in response. “Come in with me.” He then turned back to Autumn, his gaze momentarily faltering as he added, his voice softening, “Hey, maybe you could make another trip? Lydia mentioned she’s craving that pie she loves, and a bubble tea.”

Knowing full well how unreasonable he was being, Mars attempted to sweeten the deal. “You’re her big sister, after all. I’m buried in these documents right now and can’t break away. Could you help me out just this once?”

Autumn regarded him with a silent intensity, her expression unreadable. She placed a hand on her belly, a subtle gesture that spoke volumes.

In that instant, both Mars and the assistant’s eyes were drawn to her baby bump, a visible reminder of the life growing within her.

A wave of shame and regret washed over Mars like a cold tide. What kind of man expects a pregnant woman to run errands for him? God, I’m such an asshole!

The assistant shot Mars a look filled with disdain, clearly appalled by the situation.

Reading the tension in the air, he quickly interjected, “Mr. Wright, I can leave these documents here for you to review and sign. I have plenty of time, so why don’t I run and grab the items?”

Mars nodded, relief flooding his features as he shot the assistant a grateful glance. “Great. Thanks for stepping up. Here, let me give you some cash for your trouble.”

He fished out a thick wad of bills from his wallet, the crisp notes a small fortune to the assistant. “The rest is for your trouble,” he added with a grin.

The assistant’s eyes sparkled at the sight of the cash—at least a couple of hundred dollars. His smile widened, genuine excitement lighting up his face. “Thanks, Mr. Wright! I’ll get right on it!”

With that, he took the money and dashed off, eager to complete the task.

Inside the hospital room, Lydia had been listening closely to the commotion outside. She simmered with anger that Mars hadn’t insisted Autumn go buy her things.

In the past, he would do anything she asked, even if it meant pressuring Autumn. But ever since Autumn announced her pregnancy, Mars had become a master of excuses.

A troubling thought crept into Lydia’s mind, echoing Autumn’s earlier words. What if the baby isn’t even his?

What if Mars is lying to me?

They’ll form a happy little family of three, while I’m left in the shadows—just the scandalous other woman everyone looks down upon.

Why does Autumn get to have all of that? It should have been mine!

“Is that you, Autumn?” Lydia called out, her voice cutting through the tension, unwilling to be overlooked.

I truly feel sorry for my past self.

What was it about a man like this that ever made him worthy of my heart and soul?

“Mars, am I causing trouble for you two? You don’t want to deal with me anymore, is that it?” Lydia’s voice trembled, a mixture of fear and vulnerability.

Autumn remained silent, but Lydia could no longer contain her emotions.

She turned to Mars, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears—a sight that could melt even the hardest of hearts.

Especially one as burdened with guilt as Mars.

He dropped the documents and rushed to Lydia’s side. Just as he was about to envelop her in a comforting embrace, Autumn’s phone rang, cutting through the fragile moment.

Seeing Mars rushing toward her, a triumphant smirk began to form on Lydia’s lips, but it was swiftly extinguished by the ringing of Autumn’s phone.

Autumn ignored the two of them, who had momentarily frozen in place, and answered the call.

As she swiped to answer, her finger inadvertently hit the speakerphone button.

She flinched, her instincts telling her to turn it off, but it was too late. A deep, pleasant voice filled the room, resonating through the microphone.

“Did you go into work?”

The hospital room fell into a heavy silence, the kind where even the slightest sound felt magnified.

In that charged atmosphere, the emotional stakes crystallized for Autumn. She stood at the intersection of her past and present, grappling with the weight of her choices and the complicated ties that bound her to Mars and Lydia. The unexpected call had shattered the fragile silence, forcing her to confront the reality of her situation. No longer just the dutiful sister or the supportive partner, she was a woman on the verge of redefining herself. As she listened to the voice on the other end of the line, a wave of clarity washed over her. The chaos surrounding her—the jealousy, the guilt, and the unspoken resentments—was no longer hers to carry alone.

For Mars, the moment was equally transformative. The guilt he had been wrestling with began to morph into a deeper understanding of the women in his life. As he watched Autumn, resolute and unyielding, and Lydia, vulnerable yet fierce, he recognized the consequences of his actions and the pain he had inadvertently caused. In that instant, he understood that he could no longer navigate this web of relationships with half-hearted attempts at kindness. The realization ignited a determination within him to confront his shortcomings and mend the fractures he had created. With Autumn’s strength and Lydia’s fragility laid bare before him, Mars felt the stirring of hope—a chance to rebuild, to find peace amidst the chaos, and to chase the light that had long seemed out of reach.

**What to Expect in Next Chapter?**
In the next chapter of “Chasing Light, Finding Peace,” the tension in the hospital room is set to escalate dramatically as Autumn grapples with the implications of the unexpected phone call that has just shattered the fragile atmosphere. Who is on the other end of the line? The answer could change everything for Autumn, Mars, and Lydia. As secrets begin to unravel, Autumn’s past choices will come back to haunt her, forcing her to confront the complexities of her relationships and the life she is about to bring into the world. Will she find the strength to stand her ground, or will the weight of her circumstances push her into a corner? Meanwhile, Mars is caught in a whirlwind of emotions as he navigates the delicate balance between his loyalty to Lydia and his growing connection with Autumn. The pressure mounts as he must decide where his true feelings lie and how to act in the face of Lydia’s vulnerability. Will he continue to be the peacemaker, or will his guilt lead him down a path of self-destruction? As tensions rise, the dynamics between the three characters will shift, revealing hidden truths and testing the limits of love and loyalty. Prepare for a chapter filled with unexpected revelations and poignant moments that will leave you questioning the choices each character must make.