Chapter 113: The Sound of Goodbye.

Aurora’s POV
The drive to the cinema was quiet as I didn’t know what to say to Leonardo.
I wasn’t feeling up to watching a movie with him, but I knew he just wanted to make our relationship work, which I didn’t blame him for. Still, something about the whole situation felt… off.
He had left everything behind to be with me. And while that should have meant something, all I felt was unease.
Shouldn’t I be happy? Shouldn’t I feel relieved that he finally chose me?
Then why did it feel like a weight pressing down on my chest?
I glanced at Leonardo from the corner of my eye. He had one hand on the wheel, his jaw tight in concentration.
He hadn’t said much since we left, and a part of me wondered if he was feeling the same tension I was.
But instead of asking, I just looked back out the window, wishing I could make sense of the emotions swirling inside me.
We arrived at the cinema, and Leonardo parked the car. He turned to me with a small smile, but I could see the hesitation in his eyes.
“We’re here,” he said, trying to sound lighthearted.
I forced a smile and nodded, unbuckling my seatbelt. As we stepped out, Leonardo walked beside me, his hand hovering close to mine like he wanted to reach for it but wasn’t sure if he should.
Inside, the scent of buttered popcorn filled the air, and the low hum of chatter surrounded us.
People stood in line at the concession stands, couples laughed together, and groups of friends excitedly debated which movie to watch.
Leonardo led me to the ticket counter. “Two for The Love Between the Fairy and the Devil,” he said to the cashier.
I blinked. The Love Between the Fairy and the Devil. A fantasy romance about a warrior who fell in love with a forbidden mate under the full moon.
My stomach twisted.
Of course, he would choose that.
“Sounds interesting,” I muttered, taking my ticket from him.
Leonardo studied me for a second before sighing. “Aurora, if you don’t want to be here with me, just say it.”
I looked up at him, caught off guard. “What?”
“You’ve been distant. I can tell. I don’t want to force you to be here if you don’t want to.”
His voice was calm, but there was an edge to it, like he was bracing himself for my answer.
I swallowed. I wanted to say something to tell him the truth but the words caught in my throat. Instead, I forced another small smile.
“I’m fine, Leonardo. Let’s just watch the movie.”
He held my gaze for a moment longer before nodding. “Alright.”
We walked toward the theater, but even as I sat down in my seat, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was lying to both him and myself.
The lights went down, and the movie started. But I couldn't focus on the screen. My mind kept wandering.
Leonardo sat beside me, his posture tense, his fingers tapping lightly against his knee.
Every now and then, I could feel his gaze flicker toward me, like he was waiting for something.
I wasn’t sure what it was.
Halfway through the film, a particularly emotional scene played a moment where the warrior held the forbidden love of his life under the moonlight, whispering promises of forever.
A lump formed in my throat.
I had seen this scene before. Not in a movie, but in my dreams.
The dream.
The one where I was locked in an embrace under the moon, feeling something I couldn’t quite explain, something that felt too real.
And the terrifying part? I knew deep down I wasn’t dreaming about Leonardo.
I swallowed hard, suddenly needing air.
“I’ll be right back,” I whispered, quickly standing up before Leonardo could say anything.
I hurried out of the theater, my heart racing as I stepped into the empty hallway.
I leaned against the wall, pressing a hand to my chest, willing myself to breathe.
What was wrong with me?
Why did it feel like I was betraying him when, in reality, it was my own heart that had already betrayed me?
“Are you okay?” Leonardo asked, he had followed me out of the cinema.
I quickly straightened up, forcing a neutral expression as I turned to face him.
“Yeah, I’m fine,” I said, though my voice didn’t sound convincing even to my own ears.
Leonardo’s brows furrowed as he studied me. “Aurora, talk to me,” he pressed, stepping closer.
“You’ve been acting strange all day.”
I swallowed, my throat suddenly dry. “I just… needed some air. That’s all.”
He sighed, running a hand through his hair. “Is this about us?” His voice was quieter now, careful, like he was afraid of the answer.
I hesitated. Every part of me wanted to deny it, to keep up the illusion that everything was fine.
But I was tired, tired of pretending, tired of ignoring the weight pressing against my chest.
So instead of answering, I looked away.
That was enough.
Leonardo exhaled sharply, his jaw tightening. “Aurora, if you don’t want to be with me anymore, just say it.”
I flinched. The directness of his words knocked the air out of me.
“Leo, I—”
He let out a bitter chuckle. “You don’t have to say anything,” he murmured, shaking his head.
“I already know.”
My chest tightened. “It’s not that simple,” I whispered.
“Isn’t it?” His eyes searched mine, desperate for something anything that could tell him he was wrong.
That I still belonged to him. But I couldn’t give him that reassurance.
Because I didn’t know if I did anymore.
“Aurora I know that I made a mistake but that’s why I’m trying to fix us. I shouldn’t have done what I did, but I did, but it doesn’t mean my love for you ever changed.”
I looked down, my fingers curling into fists at my sides. “Leonardo…”
“No, just listen to me,” he said, stepping closer. His voice was thick with emotion. “I know I hurt you. I know I made you feel like you weren’t enough, and that was never my intention.” He exhaled shakily. “But I love you, Aurora. I never stopped.”
I squeezed my eyes shut, my chest aching. “Love isn’t just words, Leo,” I whispered. “It’s actions. And your actions…” I swallowed, shaking my head. “They told me a different story.”
“I was scared,” he admitted, his voice raw. “Scared of disappointing my father. Scared of not being the son he expected me to be. But you—” He reached for my hand, and for a second, I let him hold it. “You are the only thing that’s ever felt right.”
I felt the warmth of his touch, familiar yet foreign at the same time. A part of me longed to fall into it, to let myself believe that we could fix what was broken. But another part—the part that had lived through the pain, through the nights of feeling unwanted—knew better.
I slowly pulled my hand away. “Leo… I don’t know if I can do this anymore.”
His face fell, his hands dropping to his sides. “Aurora, please.”
I looked up at him, meeting his desperate gaze. “I don’t want to hurt you,” I whispered. “But I also can’t lie to myself.”
He took a deep breath, nodding slowly as if trying to process my words.
“So… what are you saying?”
I hesitated, the weight of the moment pressing down on me. “I think we need time apart.”
Leonardo’s expression tightened. His jaw clenched, and I could see the turmoil in his eyes. “Time apart?” he repeated, as if the words physically pained him.
I nodded, swallowing hard. “Yes.”
He exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair. “Aurora, we’ve been apart long enough. I’m trying to fix this I’m trying to fix us.”
“I know you are,” I whispered. “But, Leo… I don’t know if I want to be fixed with you anymore.”
Silence.
His entire body went still. He stared at me like I had just ripped his heart out and crushed it in my hands.
“What… what are you saying?” His voice was hoarse, almost breaking.
“I’m saying that maybe we’re holding on to something that isn’t meant to be anymore,” I said, my throat tightening.
“I’ve changed, Leo. And so have you. I don’t know if we fit together like we used to.”
He took a step back, shaking his head. “No. You’re just confused,” he said, almost to himself.
Then, his eyes snapped to mine, suddenly filled with suspicion.
“This is because of him, isn’t it?”
I frowned. “What?”
“Alessandro,” he bit out. “You’ve been spending time with him, haven’t you? He’s gotten into your head.”
I took a deep breath, fighting to stay calm. “This isn’t about Alessandro,” I said firmly. “This is about me.”
Leonardo scoffed. “Right. Because you just woke up one day and decided that the love we shared doesn’t mean anything anymore?” His voice was filled with bitterness.
I flinched. “It’s not like that—”
“Then what is it like, Aurora?” he demanded, stepping closer.
“Because from where I’m standing, it looks like I’m losing you to my own brother.”
His words stung, but I refused to let guilt consume me. “Leo, this isn’t about losing me to someone else.
It’s about you losing me to myself.” I placed a hand over my chest.
“For the first time in a long time, I’m listening to what I want. And I don’t think I can be with you anymore.”
Leonardo inhaled sharply, his fists clenching. His shoulders tensed as if he was holding back a million words.
Then, after a long moment, he let out a shaky breath and stepped back.
“Fine,” he muttered. “If that’s what you want.”
I nodded, even though it felt like my heart was being ripped apart. “I’m sorry, Leo.”
He let out a bitter chuckle. “Yeah. Me too.”
With that, I turned around and walked away, leaving him standing there alone with the decision I had just made.
As I walked away, my heart pounded in my chest, every step feeling heavier than the last.
I knew this was the right decision I needed space, I needed to figure out who I was without him. But that didn’t make it hurt any less.
I didn’t turn back. I couldn’t.
The moment I reached the edge of the parking lot, I pulled out my phone, my fingers hovering over the screen.
I wanted to call someone, talk to someone, drown out the painful silence that had settled over me.
And before I could think twice about it, my fingers moved on their own.
Dialing.
It rang once. Twice.
Then, a familiar voice answered. “Aurora?”
Alessandro.
The sound of his voice made my chest tighten. I squeezed my eyes shut, my emotions crashing down all at once.
“I… I need to talk,” I whispered.
There was a pause on the other end, then a sigh. “Where are you?”
I swallowed hard. “The cinema.”
“Stay there. I’m coming.”
The call ended, and I clutched my phone to my chest, trying to steady my breathing.
I had no idea what I was doing.
All I knew was that, right now, I didn’t want to be alone.