Chapter Thirty-Seven: Grieving and Coping

In the days following Sophie's death, Julien and Isabelle were consumed by grief. The foundation, once a place of joy and creativity, felt empty and hollow. They moved through the days in a fog of sorrow, struggling to make sense of their loss.

Julien found it difficult to focus on anything. The paintings and sketches that filled the studio seemed like distant memories, echoes of a happier time. He spent hours in Sophie's room, surrounded by her artwork and personal belongings, trying to feel close to her.

Isabelle tried to stay strong, but the weight of her grief was overwhelming. She found herself breaking down in tears at unexpected moments, the pain of losing Sophie too much to bear. She threw herself into work, trying to find solace in the foundation's mission, but even that felt meaningless without Sophie's presence.

Friends and colleagues offered their support, but nothing could fill the void left by Sophie's death. Julien and Isabelle attended grief counseling, hoping to find some way to cope with their loss, but the pain remained raw and unrelenting.

One evening, as they sat together in the living room, Julien turned to Isabelle, his voice filled with anguish. "I don't know how to go on without her. She was everything to us."

Isabelle nodded, her eyes brimming with tears. "I know. But we have to keep going. For Sophie. For Claire. For everyone who believes in what we've built. It's what they would have wanted."