As a co-protagonist, Leo’s journey is defined by his struggle to overcome his deep-seated trauma and fear of abandonment, which stem from the fact that his parents, Rico and Ana, sent him to live with his aunt and uncle as a child. This unresolved trauma dictates his adult behavior, particularly within his marriage. After his own children are born, he emotionally withdraws from April, subconsciously recreating the pattern of absence that wounded him. He immerses himself in his work as a history teacher, finding purpose and value in the classroom where he feels needed, while avoiding the complexities of home where he fears he’s a burden. This withdrawal creates a self-fulfilling prophecy, contributing significantly to the marital breakdown he attributes solely to April’s infidelity.

Leo’s search for identity and belonging is central to his character arc. Initially, he finds a surrogate family in the Russos, whose warmth and stability provide a stark contrast to his own rootless upbringing. His self-published novel, Seventh City, represents this quest as a symbol of his core self and his idealized search for a place of acceptance. The narrative that he constructs for himself is that of a man who has escaped his past by building a new life with April.