The Day I Quit Him (Autumn and Mars) novel Chapter 85

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

Autumn hurried down the staircase, her heart racing with anticipation. As she reached the bottom, her eyes caught sight of Owen’s car, parked discreetly on the far side of the building, just as she had hoped.

Taking a deep breath to steady herself, she crossed the pavement and pulled the door open. Inside, Owen sat comfortably in the back seat, clad in a sharply tailored suit that accentuated his confident demeanor. His laptop rested casually on his knees, projecting an air of relaxed authority, even as he looked every bit the polished businessman. There was something almost roguish about his posture, a hint of rebellion beneath the immaculate surface.

As soon as he spotted her, a frown creased his forehead. Autumn could feel the heat rising in her cheeks, a thin sheen of sweat forming on her brow.

“What’s the rush?” he asked, his voice a mix of concern and curiosity.

He closed his laptop with a practiced ease, gesturing for her to slide into the seat beside him. With a casual flick of his wrist, he handed her an insulated thermos.

“Mrs. Turner made it,” he said, his tone light yet earnest.

“Have some,” he insisted, his eyes glinting with a playful challenge.

Autumn accepted the thermos, still slightly dazed from her hurried descent. As she opened it, the rich, savory aroma wafted through the car, enveloping her senses and gradually pulling her back to reality.

Her eyes widened in disbelief as she gazed at the steaming soup in her hands. “Did you really come all this way just to bring me soup?” she asked, her voice tinged with astonishment.

Owen merely grunted in affirmation, a nonchalant smile playing on his lips.

“I happened to hear there was a show to watch, so I thought I’d pick you up on the way,” he replied, his tone casual but Autumn couldn’t shake the feeling that it was more than just a simple errand.

He said “on the way,” but she couldn’t help but notice that the Bennett Group and Cloudbreak Corporation were hardly neighbors. Not to mention, he must have gone home first to retrieve the soup, making this detour quite significant. The thought of the time he must have wasted lingered in her mind, but she chose to keep it to herself.

Lowering her gaze, she took a sip of the delicious broth, savoring the warmth that spread through her. “Next time, you can just have someone else bring it,” she suggested, trying to sound casual, though uncertainty gnawed at her.

Owen shot her a look, one that made her heart race, but he remained silent. The air grew thick with unspoken words, and Autumn, unsure of his mood, decided to hold her tongue.

The car fell into a comfortable silence, punctuated only by the soft sounds of their breathing and the gentle clink of Autumn’s spoon against the thermos. As she continued to sip the soup, she realized she was getting full, having consumed more than half of it. Just as she contemplated how to express this to him, Owen broke the silence.

“Can’t finish it?” he asked, a hint of mischief in his voice.

Feeling as if she had been granted a reprieve, Autumn quickly screwed the lid back on. “Yeah, I’ll save the rest for later,” she said, not wanting to waste Mrs. Turner’s thoughtful gift.

However, Owen, unfazed by her reluctance, reached over, took the thermos from her hands, and twisted off the cap. To her shock, he began drinking the remaining soup with the very spoon she had just used.

Meeting Autumn’s wide, incredulous eyes, he shrugged and said, “Mrs. Turner will make more when we get back.”

Autumn could only blink in disbelief. Was that really the point? The point was that he was using her spoon to finish off her leftovers!

This… was a bit much, wasn’t it? Even if Owen wasn’t a germaphobe, sharing utensils felt far too intimate for their current relationship status.

He polished off the last of the soup in just a few swift gulps, his expression unreadable as he met her lingering gaze. There was a flicker of confusion in his eyes. “What?” he asked, genuinely puzzled.

“Ahem…” Autumn cleared her throat, her mind racing. She didn’t dare to suggest that sharing a spoon was akin to an indirect kiss. A high-powered titan like Owen probably had no inkling of such nuances. No need to draw attention to it, lest he think she was being overly dramatic about something so trivial.

“If you’re hungry, maybe we should get some food first?” she blurted out, desperately trying to shift the focus away from the awkwardness that hung between them.

Owen didn’t seem to overthink it. “Sure. I’ve already made a reservation,” he replied, his tone casual.

Yet, Autumn could have sworn he looked at her a moment longer than necessary. She pressed her lips together, deciding that silence would be her best ally. The more she spoke, the more likely she was to say something foolish. It was safer to keep her mouth shut around a guy like him.

She had assumed that Owen would drive her directly to the private club for an up-close experience of the drama unfolding inside. Instead, he took her to a restaurant located near the club.

The ambiance was serene, with soft lighting and gentle music playing in the background. They were shown to a cozy window seat on the upper level, which offered a perfect view of the club’s entrance.

The entire place had been reserved, and as a server guided Autumn to her seat, she caught a glimpse of Mrs. Lopez rushing through the club’s main doors. A small smirk crept onto her lips.

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