HOW WE COPE

**Leo's POV**

As the evening cloaked the world in shadows, I returned to the sanctuary of my residence. Upon crossing the threshold, an ominous absence clung to the air – Aurelia was nowhere to be found. My heart seized with a nameless dread, and I urgently summoned Julie, desperation tinging my voice, "Where is Aurelia?"

Julie replied, her words laced with concern, "Sir, she was exploring the mansion not long ago. Perhaps she has retreated to her room by now."

I acknowledged her words with a curt nod and swiftly set course for Aurelia's quarters. Upon entering, my fears materialized as an empty room devoid of her presence. An insidious anxiety clawed at my chest. Could she have truly eluded me, slipped through my grasp, and vanished into the unknown?

My eyes, scanning the room, spotted a flicker of movement on the balcony. My heart clenched, and I rushed toward the source of the movement, dread coursing through my veins.

What confronted me on the balcony was a tableau of torment. There stood Aurelia, teetering on the precipice of despair, her intentions horrifyingly evident. It was an escape from me she sought, an escape through self-inflicted oblivion. In that heart-wrenching instant, her fragile existence hung by a thread, and the cry that erupted from my lips was primal, a desperate invocation of her name. The sound echoed, yet the universe seemed to narrow, my world collapsing into the sole figure before me.

Aurelia's eyes, as they met mine, were windows into a tortured soul, brimming with pitiable desolation. Then, in a motion both inevitable and irrevocable, she cast herself from the balcony, a descent into the abyss. Time dilated, and in that suspended moment, nothing else existed. Her visage of despair seared into my consciousness, an indelible memory.

Without hesitation, an adrenaline-fueled sprint propelled me to the edge of the balcony. Her plummet was arrested by the clutch of my desperate hands, locking onto her waist with a vise-like grip. I held her, anchored her, and ensured that she would not embrace the void.

As her feet made contact with the ground once more, a hurricane of emotions roared within me. My anguish and rage erupted into words, and I shouted at her, a manifestation of the torment we had become entangled in.

"Listen to me, Aurelia," I implored, my voice raw with emotion, my fiery red eyes searching her gaze for any flicker of understanding. "I don't care how much you try to escape, how much pain you think you need to endure. But never, never think of leaving this world as your means of eluding me."

My grip on her remained unyielding as if I could physically convey the intensity of my words to her. "The choice of when you live or die is not yours to make. It's a power that rests solely with me. Do you understand?"

The tremors of my anger were still evident, but they were underpinned by a desperate plea. I needed her to comprehend the depth of her entanglement with me, the inescapable reality we shared. "You will not find an easy escape, Aurelia. Instead, you'll face every torment, every agony, that you've unknowingly subjected me to. I need you to understand that. To accept it."

**Aurelia's POV**

Leo's words cut through me like a sword, slashing at every part of my being. "I... I... I didn't mean to," I stuttered, my voice trembling as fear clutched my heart, afraid of what his anger might bring.

He said nothing, his silence speaking volumes as he retreated into the mansion, his anger palpable. I was left in a whirlwind of confusion. Why had everything spiralled out of control so suddenly? I couldn't fathom why it had come to this. I didn't understand how I had come to meet Leo, or what I had done to incur his wrath. All I knew was that my life had become a relentless nightmare with no end in sight.

I went to my room, seeking solace. Julie, the ever-concerned figure in my life, came to me with worry etched across her face. "Aurelia, what happened? Why did you attempt suicide all of a sudden? Please tell me," she implored, her words wrapped in genuine care.

Her questions brought tears to my eyes, and I wept openly. Julie offered comfort, patting my back gently. "I don't know, Julie. I didn't mean to do it. I just slipped accidentally when I heard Mr. Leo's voice. I... I..." My voice faltered, breaking along with the last words.

"I don't understand, Julie. Why is my life so plagued by difficulties? Am I truly as bad as my father always said whenever he looked at me? Am I so terrible that Mr. Leo despises me? I don't even know what I did to him. I've never seen him before today. It's the first time, but it feels like I've committed some unforgivable sin against him. Why, Julie? Why is my life like this?" I poured out my questions amid sobs.

Julie continued to comfort me, her voice reassuring. "Aurelia, there's no such thing as being bad, my dear. You're precious to me, even if others hate you. Perhaps it's all a misunderstanding, and that's why Mr. Leo feels this way. I believe he cares for you, but he might not know how to express it. Just give him some time," she advised.

I nodded, taking in her words. After some time, Julie suggested that I rest for a while. I lay on my bed, but sleep eluded me. I closed my eyes, attempting to process the events of the day. I didn't know when Julie left my room, but I pretended to be asleep, not wanting to burden her further with my troubles.

**Leo's POV**

After my heated confrontation with Aurelia, I returned to the mansion, my anger still smoldering. I called for Julie, urgently needing to discuss the situation with her. She arrived promptly, and I couldn't help but direct some of my lingering frustration at her.

"Julie, did you fulfill your responsibilities adequately?" I inquired, my tone laced with a hint of annoyance. I was aware that Julie was one of the most diligent and dedicated members of my staff, and she had always been incredibly good to me. However, at this moment, my temper was difficult to contain.

Julie was taken aback by my tone. "I... What do you mean, sir? Could you please clarify?" she asked politely, masking her surprise.

"I asked you to keep a watchful eye on Aurelia. Can't you see the outcome of your oversight now?" I retorted, a touch of exasperation colouring my words.

**Leo's POV**

Genuine concern flickered in Julie's eyes. "What happened to her, sir? Has something terrible occurred?" she inquired, her voice reflecting her shock and empathy.

I didn't mince words. "Yes, something dreadful. She attempted to take her own life by jumping from the balcony," I revealed, the gravity of the revelation hanging heavily in the air, an unshakable weight on my shoulders.

A gasp escaped Julie's lips. "What? Aurelia... She did that, sir?" Her astonishment was palpable, her voice laced with disbelief.

"Yes," I confirmed with a heavy heart, understanding the profound impact of the situation. "You must go to her, Julie. Comfort her, help her find calm. It's your responsibility now," I instructed firmly, knowing that Julie would approach this task with the gentleness and care it warranted. She nodded in agreement, her determination clear.

With swift steps, Julie hurried to Aurelia's room, leaving me standing outside her door. I discreetly listened to the sounds emanating from within, the poignant echoes of her tears and words reaching my ears. Aurelia's voice was laden with sorrow as she spoke of bad luck and questioned her interactions with me. Her pain was evident, and she admitted to her bewilderment regarding why her actions had evoked such a reaction from me. In her state of amnesia, she remained blissfully unaware of our shared history, and the power she held over me.

"It's only you, Aurelia," I muttered to myself, an admission that lingered on my lips. As I continued to overhear her words, I contemplated the significance of her memory loss, recognizing that it had granted her freedom from the knowledge of our intertwined past, even if it came at the cost of her suffering.