The Day I Quit Him (Autumn and Mars) novel Chapter 63

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

**Chapter 63**

Autumn sat in stunned silence, her heart racing as a whirlwind of unvoiced thoughts swirled in her mind. The recent conversation with Owen echoed in her ears, his calming voice cutting through her tumultuous emotions like a beacon of hope.

“You don’t need to feel like you owe anyone anything,” he had said, his tone reassuring yet firm.

She felt the weight of his words settle deep within her, yet the connection she felt to Cloudbreak remained a stubborn ember in her heart. “Cloudbreak means a lot to me, but it’s not the end of the world,” she replied, her voice tinged with a defiance that surprised even herself. It was as if she was challenging the very foundations of her own beliefs, daring to entertain the idea of freedom from the chains she had forged.

A brief pause lingered in the air, thick with unspoken understanding, before Autumn ventured, “Is this yet another benefit of our partnership?”

Owen’s light-hearted “mhm” was almost playful, a gentle tease that lightened the gravity of their discussion.

With a determined shake of her head, Autumn brushed aside her stray thoughts, nodding in acceptance. “Alright then.”

“Just wait by the hospital entrance. I’ll have someone come to get you,” Owen instructed, his voice leaving no room for argument.

Surprise flickered across Autumn’s features, her eyebrows shooting up in disbelief. “Wait…” she began, but before she could articulate her hesitation, the line went dead. Owen had hung up, and she was left with no choice but to comply with his directive.

Feeling a mix of resignation and anxiety, she settled into one of the uncomfortable plastic chairs in the hospital’s waiting area. The sterile environment felt suffocating, and her thoughts swirled around her like autumn leaves caught in a tempest, each one representing a decision she had yet to confront.

It wasn’t long before she noticed Mars Wright’s assistant making his way toward her, a stack of files clutched tightly in his hands. His expression was a tableau of dread and resignation, each step he took seemingly heavier than the last.

“Secretary Autumn…” he began, his voice faltering as if the words were lodged in his throat. His eyes darted around, searching for the right thing to say, but the weight of the moment silenced him.

Anticipating the inevitable, Autumn interjected before he could finish. “I’m not going back to the office. You can handle it on your own.”

The assistant’s face fell further, disappointment etched into his features. “You’re not coming back?”

His mind raced, grappling with the harsh reality of his situation. He had thought that delivering files to Mr. Wright was a daunting task, but now it felt trivial compared to the storm brewing in the office since Autumn’s departure. The anger that had once been directed at her was now being redirected toward him, and he felt like a scapegoat caught in a web of office politics.

What had he done to deserve this?

Deep within, he harbored a growing resentment toward Autumn for the predicament he found himself in. Yet, he dared not voice it; she was still his superior, after all.

“Secretary Autumn… if you don’t return, what am I supposed to tell Mr. Wright when he inevitably asks about you?”

His voice trembled, the weight of the situation pressing down on him like a heavy shroud. Who could withstand the wrath of Mr. Wright?

The assistant was on the brink of tears, his thoughts spiraling into despair. He had been so naive, completely overlooking the significance of a chief secretary like Autumn.

Now it dawned on him: Autumn was like a fortress, not just the backbone of Cloudbreak but also a shield against the storm that was Mars Wright’s temper.

He cursed himself for his late realization. If only he had chosen a side sooner, he was certain that Autumn would have taken him under her wing, guiding him to become a trusted ally.

“Just tell him the truth. Who made the rule that a chief secretary must be shackled to a desk? And it’s not like Mars Wright, the CEO, is glued to his desk either, is he?”

The assistant’s lips moved, but the courage to argue dissipated like mist in the morning sun.

Finally, he mumbled a defeated, “Got it,” and turned to leave, clutching his files tightly as if they were a lifeline.

He stepped outside, pulling his car around but hesitating to head back immediately. Instead, he lingered, watching to see where Autumn would go next.

Soon enough, he saw her climb into a sleek black SUV, its expensive exterior gleaming under the hospital’s fluorescent lights.

His heart sank as he watched the SUV pull away, the reality of his situation settling heavily on his shoulders. After agonizing for what felt like an eternity, he finally pulled out his phone, sending a text to Mars Wright.

Autumn’s dismissive attitude had made it clear she held him in low regard.

“Every man for himself,” he thought bitterly. With that mindset, he had no choice but to align himself with Mr. Wright, who could provide him with the benefits he needed to pay his bills.

A reply from Mars came through almost immediately: [Are you sure you saw that? Who was in the SUV?]

The assistant quickly sent a photo in response.

[This is the car that picked up Secretary Autumn. The windows are tinted, so I couldn’t tell if it was a man or a woman.]

Mars, upon reading the assistant’s emphasis on the uncertainty of the SUV’s occupant, felt a surge of anger. It was almost certainly a man.

Inside the hospital room, Mars’s grip tightened around his phone, nearly crushing it in his hand.

That damn Autumn. One moment she was stirring up trouble with him and Lydia, and the next, she was slipping into another man’s car without a second thought.

She wasn’t even pretending to hide it anymore!

“Lydia, once you’re out of the hospital, I want you to move in with us,” he declared, a glint of determination in his eyes.

What was the point of Autumn’s stubbornness now? She was carrying his child; sooner or later, she would have to come back home and fall in line.

“Good girl, Lydia. Just make sure you don’t actually provoke Autumn. She’s still your sister, after all.”

“And she’s carrying our child,” Lydia reminded him, her voice a mix of excitement and concern.

“We must keep her stable until the baby is born.”

The mention of the baby sent a flicker of something—perhaps apprehension—through Lydia’s eyes.

“I know, Mars,” she replied, her voice steady.

Mars leaned down, placing a gentle kiss on Lydia’s forehead. “Good girl.”

The moment Autumn received Mars’s voice message, she immediately sensed Lydia’s involvement.

Without wasting a second, she screenshotted the voice message transcript and shared it in the Lopez family group chat.

The Lopez family wasn’t particularly large, but the group chat included not only Oliver and Mrs. Lopez but also distant relatives who had long harbored jealousy toward the family’s recent success.

After posting the screenshot, Autumn tagged her stepmother: [@Mrs. Lopez Aren’t you all back from your trip? The girl’s own mother can’t be bothered to care for her, so you need my husband to step in? I’d love to understand in what universe it’s acceptable for a brother-in-law to take care of his sister-in-law.]

Autumn had been largely silent in the group chat since joining, so her sudden outburst targeting her stepmother felt like a bombshell, jolting everyone awake.

In an instant, the chat exploded with responses, both from lurkers and regular contributors alike.

[What? The sister-in-law is moving into her sister and brother-in-law’s house? My goodness, when did the Lopez family fall on such hard times? Did you sell all your properties or something?]

As Autumn sat in the hospital waiting area, the weight of her decisions pressed down on her like a heavy cloak. The confrontation with her assistant had forced her to confront the reality of her position within Cloudbreak and her relationship with Mars. No longer was she the steadfast chief secretary, the shield against Mars’s temper; she was a woman on the brink of reclaiming her own narrative. With every word exchanged, she felt the stirrings of a newfound independence, a flicker of light amidst the shadows of doubt and resentment. The SUV that whisked her away was not just a vehicle; it symbolized her choice to step away from the chaos that had enveloped her life, to chase the light that promised peace and clarity.

Meanwhile, Mars’s machinations to undermine her only fueled her resolve. His plans to have Lydia move in, an attempt to reassert control, would not deter her from pursuing her truth. Autumn’s decision to share the voice message with her family was a declaration of defiance, a way to reclaim her agency in a world that had sought to confine her. As the group chat erupted with reactions, she felt a sense of liberation wash over her. No longer would she be shackled to the expectations of others; she was ready to carve out her own path. In this moment of clarity, Autumn understood that chasing light was not merely about escaping darkness but about embracing the strength within herself to find peace, no matter the obstacles ahead.

**What to Expect in Next Chapter?**

In the upcoming chapter of “Chasing Light, Finding Peace,” readers can expect the tension to escalate as Autumn grapples with the fallout from Mars’s manipulative schemes. With Lydia poised to move into their home, Autumn’s sense of security will be put to the ultimate test. The dynamics within the Lopez family will shift dramatically, as Autumn’s bold message in the group chat ignites a whirlwind of gossip and scrutiny, forcing her to confront not only her own insecurities but also the deep-seated rivalries that have simmered beneath the surface.

As the narrative unfolds, Autumn must navigate this treacherous landscape where loyalties are tested and alliances shift like the autumn leaves. Will she stand her ground against Mars’s calculated moves, or will she find herself cornered, forced to confront the realities of her relationship and the impending responsibilities of motherhood? The stakes are higher than ever, and the emotional turmoil promises to be palpable, leaving readers on the edge of their seats as they anticipate how Autumn will reclaim her sense of self amid the chaos. Each character’s motivations will be laid bare, revealing the intricate web of relationships that bind them together, and the choices they make could lead to either reconciliation or irrevocable rifts.