Passion's Pitfalls

Chapter 7

Aurelia tossed and turned, unable to sleep. She kept replaying the events of the day in her mind, her thoughts spinning like a whirlwind. She couldn't help but feel a twinge of jealousy as she thought about Tristan and Emilia. She knew it was silly - after all, they were just friends, -childhood friends. But still, she couldn't shake the feeling that something might happen between them. Was she just being paranoid, or was it that she didn't trust Tristan enough?

She crept out of her room, making her way down the hall to Tristan's room because she was still hurting. She paused outside the door, her heart racing.
What if she was wrong, and this was all in her head? She took a deep breath, summoning her courage. Then, she knocked on the door, her knuckles trembling.

There was a sinking feeling in Aurelia's stomach as Emilia opened the door. She had been hoping to talk to Tristan, to tell him how she felt. But now, seeing Emilia's face, she felt like she had made a terrible mistake. "Hi," Emilia greeted, her voice neutral.
Aurelia tried to smile, but it felt forced. "Hi," she replied, her voice sounding small and uncertain. "I'm sorry, I- I didn't mean to intrude." Now it felt like she was trying to hide her tears.

Tristan's voice called out from the background. "Who's at the door?" She could feel Emilia's eyes on her, waiting for an answer. When none came, she speaks again. "It's Aurelia,"

Tristan's eyes widened, a look of surprise on his face. "Aurelia?" he questions, his voice sounding slightly guilty.

Aurelia felt she couldn't take it. The predicament was too much to bear. She turned on her heel and walked out of the space, leaving Emilia who was still holding the door frame. She could hear Tristan calling her name, but she didn't turn back. She could hear Emilia asking what a chef could simply want by the hour in his bedroom.

She just needed to get away from all that to clear her head. She hurried to her room and locked the door, collapsing on her bed. Her mind was a roller coaster of thoughts and emotions as she cried herself to sleep.

The knock on the door was so forceful rattling the doorknob. Aurelia jumped at the sound, her heart racing. "Who is it?" she called out, her voice shaking. "It's me, Tristan," the familiar voice replied.

"Can we talk?" Tristan asked, his tone gentle. Although she refused to go to the door, a part of her knew what he wanted to talk about. She could feel it in her gut, a nagging sense of intuition that couldn't be ignored. She felt torn between wanting to talk to him and wanting to hide away in her room. She closed her eyes, trying to push away the thoughts racing through her head.

She took a deep breath, summoning her courage. "go away." her voice stronger than she felt. "I'm not ready to talk."

There was a pause, and then she heard Tristan's footsteps retreating down the hall. As she lay there on her bed in the dark room, the silence felt heavy and suffocating. She wanted to call out to Tristan, to ask him to stay, but she couldn't bring herself to do it. She was filled with a sense of regret, wishing she had been more open to talking to him. She felt like she had let an opportunity slip away, and she couldn't shake the feeling of disappointment. She wondered if he was feeling the same way.

It was a startling realization, but one that rang true. She loved Tristan, despite everything. It was a love that had been simmering under the surface for so long, and now it was bubbling up to the surface. It was a feeling that was both exhilarating and terrifying.

~•~

Tristan couldn't get Aurelia's words out of his head. "go away," she had said, her voice heavy with emotion. He felt like he had let her down, like he had failed her in some way. He knew he should have been more persistent, should have tried harder to talk to her. But something had held him back, a fear of rejection or perhaps just a lack of courage. He wondered if he had lost her forever, if she would ever forgive him but he knew he couldn't just let things be. He had to try to make things right. So, he gathered his courage and returned to her door. He knocked gently, his heart pounding in his chest. He heard the lock turn, and the door opened slowly. Aurelia stood there, her expression unreadable. Tristan took a deep breath, his palms sweaty. "I'm sorry," he says, his voice shaking. "I shouldn't have left like that. Can we please talk?"

The sound of Tristan's voice, the sight of him standing there, looking so vulnerable, melted away the anger and disappointment she had been feeling. A rush of emotion overwhelmed her, and she felt tears welling up in her eyes. She knew that she loved him, that she couldn't imagine her life without him. She simply just gave him a small nod. opened the door wider, inviting him in.

They sat side by side, their bodies turned towards each other but not quite touching. The space between them felt both impossibly large and incredibly small. Tristan looked at Aurelia, trying to find the right words to say. "I'm sorry for making you feel like you weren't important to me," he said, his voice heavy with regret. "That's not how I feel. You're the most important person in my life."

"So, you were quite aware that you made me feel less important?"

Tristan hung his head, shame washing over him. "I didn't know at the time," he tells her, his voice raw with emotion. "But when I saw how you reacted and when you asked me to go away, it hit me like a ton of bricks. I realized what I had done, and I hated myself for it." He looked up, his eyes meeting hers.
"I know it's not enough, but I want to make it up to you. I want to show you how much you mean to me."

She swallowed slowly, "why was she in your room?"

"She came to me because she had a question about a book we had loved when we were kids to see if I could still remember," Tristan says, his voice steady. "I thought it was a friendly thing, but I see now how it must have looked to you." He took a deep breath, his chest rising and falling. "I swear, I had no intention of hurting you. I'm so sorry." Aurelia looked at him, her gaze softening. "I believe you," she replies, her voice very low as a whisper. "But I need to understand why you didn't see how it would look to me."

"I was so focused on what I was doing, I didn't stop to think about how it would make you feel," Tristan answers, his voice heavy with remorse. "I was being selfish, and I didn't even realize it. I'm so sorry for that." He looked at her, his eyes full of regret. "You mean so much to me, and I never want to make you feel that way again." Aurelia's heart swelled with emotion, and she reached out, taking his hand in hers. "It's okay," she tells him, a small smile playing on her lips.

Tristan hesitated for a moment, then he moved closer to her, their bodies now touching. He felt the warmth of her hand in his, the softness of her skin. It was like coming home, like finally finding a place where he belonged. "Thank you," his voice was thick with emotion. "I don't deserve your forgiveness, but I'm so grateful for it." Aurelia squeezed his hand, a gentle reassurance. "You do deserve it," she says.
"You've shown me that you're truly sorry, and that's what matters."

He brushed a gentle kiss against Aurelia's forehead, then he stood up. He looked down at her, wanting to stay but knowing he should go. "Goodnight," his voice barely a whisper. "I'll see you in the morning." Aurelia smiled, her heart full. "Goodnight," she waves, "I'll be here." Tristan turned and walked out of the room, closing the door behind him and walked back to his own room.

~•~
Aurelia woke up, her throat dry and her body craving a drink. She glanced at the clock, seeing that it was 3 AM. She sighed, knowing she wouldn't be able to go back to sleep without quenching her thirst. Slowly, she got out of bed and tiptoed to the kitchen, careful not to wake anyone else in the house.

She grabbed a glass from the cupboard and filled it with cool water from the tap. As she took a sip, she felt the liquid cool her throat and soothe her body.

Aurelia was surprised to hear Mrs. Preston's voice, muffled through the door of the kitchen. She rushed under the table barely hiding herself. Mrs. Preston opens one of the cupboards and her poured herself some milk in a mug. She was even more surprised to hear her talking on the phone at such a late hour. Aurella crept closer, trying to make out what Mrs. Preston was saying.

Her heart skipped a beat as she heard Mrs. Preston's words. She had never heard her speak with such intensity, such resolve. She wondered what was going on, what had happened to make her so angry. Aurelia's mind raced, trying to piece together the puzzle. she couldn't shake the feeling of unease that had settled over her.

"I am still signing the divorce papers Mr.Gorge Preston."