The Day I Quit Him (Autumn and Mars) novel Chapter 80

**Chasing Light, Finding Peace – by Rohan Verma**
**Chapter 80**

The moment the owner wheeled in the dishes, a tantalizing aroma filled the air, wrapping around Autumn like a warm embrace. She had been engrossed in the feedback form, her mind swirling with thoughts and expectations. But as her eyes fell upon the stunningly arranged plates, all her previous concerns evaporated into thin air.

A sudden rush of hunger surged through her, an unfamiliar sensation that had been dormant for far too long. It was as if her body had been waiting for this moment, and now it demanded attention.

“I prepared this myself,” the owner announced proudly, her eyes sparkling with enthusiasm. “Owen mentioned you were expecting, so I made sure today’s menu is not only delicious but also safe and nutritious for you.”

“Enjoy your meal,” she added, a hint of satisfaction in her voice as she rolled her cart away, leaving behind a feast that looked almost too good to eat.

Owen, with the ease of someone who had done this countless times before, served Autumn a generous piece of the honey-blossom pork. “You’ve got to try this,” he encouraged, his tone light and inviting.

Autumn nodded, her curiosity piqued. She took a bite, and a wave of flavors exploded in her mouth. “This is absolutely delicious!” she exclaimed, her eyes widening with delight.

In that fleeting moment, she grasped why patrons were willing to overlook the owner’s eccentricities. The food, bursting with flavor and crafted with care, made every minute of waiting worth it. She could only imagine the sheer joy of customers who finally took that first bite after a long wait.

“How on earth did you find this hidden gem?” she asked, her curiosity bubbling over. Owen didn’t strike her as the adventurous type, someone who would eagerly seek out new dining experiences. In all the time they had collaborated, she couldn’t recall a single instance where he had ventured out with friends, making it seem improbable that someone would have recommended this place to him.

“I haven’t told you?” Owen raised an eyebrow, feigning surprise. For a brief moment, she thought she detected a playful glint in his eye.

“Told me what?” she prompted, her interest piqued.

She mentally sifted through their previous conversations, convinced he had kept this detail under wraps.

“The owner is my aunt. My mom’s sister,” he revealed, a hint of pride in his voice.

Autumn blinked, processing this unexpected information. “Your aunt? So, she’s your mother’s sister?”

“Yes,” he confirmed, a smile creeping onto his face. “From now on, if you want to dine here, you can just come straight over. She’s much more lenient with family.”

Autumn’s mind raced. *He must have been deliberately vague about this place to entice me here.* She glanced down at the food before her, the enticing aroma still wafting up to her nose. Now that she had started eating, the idea of leaving felt absurd. But had she known this little detail from the start, she might have thought twice about stepping inside.

“Did you… plan all of this?” she asked, a hint of skepticism lacing her words. The sweet, lingering taste of the pork was suddenly overshadowed by a wave of self-consciousness. *What if I accidentally embarrassed myself in front of his aunt?*

Fortunately, their interaction had been brief, and she let out a small sigh of relief. *I probably didn’t leave a bad impression, right?*

“I did bring you here to my aunt’s place for dinner on purpose,” Owen admitted, his tone casual yet revealing.

But there was no malice in his words; it was clear he hadn’t intended it as a trap. His objective seemed simple: to treat her to a nice meal. Yet, the implications of her question weighed heavily on her.

“I’m sorry,” she rushed to say, her cheeks warming. “I didn’t mean it like that…”

Even though she felt slightly manipulated, a part of her couldn’t fathom why Owen would wish her harm. *Maybe it’s because of that group chat name. Perhaps his family is pressuring him so much that he needed me to show up to prove he’s not lying about getting married?*

With this newfound perspective, the meal felt more like a collaborative effort than a manipulation. If that were the case, it was simply part of their professional agreement. Relaxing, she directed her focus back to the delectable food before her.

Meanwhile, chaos was erupting at the hospital, where Oliver Lopez had been rushed to emergency care.

“Still can’t get ahold of Autumn?” he barked, frustration boiling over as he emerged from the emergency room, only to find her missing—the source of all his troubles. Panic coursed through him, nearly sending him back for another round of treatment.

Both Mrs. Lopez and Mars Wright were frantically trying to reach Autumn, but their calls were met with silence, going straight to voicemail. With each unanswered ring, Mars felt his anxiety intensify. He attempted to search for Autumn multiple times, but Lydia kept pulling him back, her voice quivering with fear.

“Mars, I’m so scared,” she confessed. “Mom and Dad coming back was supposed to be a joyful family reunion. How did it spiral into such chaos?”

An image of Autumn flashed in Mars’s mind. *If she hadn’t caused that scene, we could be enjoying a peaceful afternoon tea right now.*

“Could it be true what Dad said? That my sister has… other ideas?” Lydia’s words were laced with insinuation, planting seeds of doubt in Mars’s mind.

“What do you mean by that? What other ideas could she have?” he asked, confusion etched on his face.

Lydia lowered her gaze, her voice barely above a whisper. “The other day, I overheard Dad arguing with her. I think she mentioned that now that she’s pregnant and has full control of Cloudbreak, she doesn’t have to cater to anyone anymore…”