Depending on who you ask, people will say that we're either lucky or unlucky that our sapience is better than other humans due to evolution. Of course I think that it's unlucky. Also, I personally think that there isn't too much nuance to your questions that you think there is. As for how the universe began, the answer that is based on evidence as opposed to belief is the big bang. As for how we're self aware and can experience suffering, the answer based on evidence is evolution and how experiencing suffering, to an extent, keeps the human body alive for as long as possible (example being how putting your hand near a flame of fire would automatically make your hand move away from it. Another example is survival instinct).
As for where it leads, it all ultimately leads to extinction as no species can live on forever, especially not when considering entropy and all. There is no objective meaning for us, at least none that is proven to exist. We're all going to die anyway and that's an objective fact. It's up to us to make our own meaning within the bounds of our lives and responsibilities that we got forced into.
In my case, I made the conclusion that there isn't a meaning for me to want to voluntarily endure life and the responsibilities it offers but, at the end of the day, you're free to make your own meaning or lack thereof. Either way, I wish you the best of luck and that you find peace
