The Love From Vengeance

370: BROKEN BONDS

ARIEL’S POV

I stormed into my parents‘ elegant living room, a cloud of anger and betrayal churning within me. My hands trembled with disbelief as I brandished my phone, the glaring headlines announcing my supposed engagement to Luke burning into my consciousness.

“Mom, Dad, we need to talk,” I demanded.

They looked up, surprised, etching their features at the urgency in my tone.

“What’s wrong, sweetheart?” my mother asked, concern furrowing her brow.

I thrust my phone forward, the damning evidence of my supposed betrothal displayed on the screen.

“Explain this,” I demanded, my voice rising with each word,

Their guilty exchange confirmed my worst fears.

“We’re sorry, Ariel. We never meant for things to spiral out of control like this,” my father began, his voice

tinged with remorse,

But apologies were not what I sought. I needed answers.

“Sorry isn’t enough, Dad. Why have you destroyed my future?” I queried, my anger boiling over.

My mother reached out, but I recoiled, the sting of their betrayal too raw.

“I trusted you both. I thought you had my best interests at heart,” I accused the both of them. I was feeling

broken.

They hung their heads, unable to meet my accusing gaze.

“We only wanted what was best for you, Ariel. We thought…” my mother faltered, unable to finish her

justification.

turned to indignation. “So you thought it was acceptable to manipulate me into marriage for your own

leaving me with a searing sense of betrayal.

be a pawn in your social climbing game,” I declared my

I turned away, weighed down by disappointment and

to process this,” I murmured, my voice barely

betrayal bore down on me like a leaden cloak,

door behind me and locked it with a shaky hand. The dam of emotions I had been

370 BROKEN BONDS

droplet a testament to the pain and betrayal i

the sobs wracking my body uncontrollably. It felt as though my

agony.

something so cruel and manipulative? Did they truly see me as nothing more

status?

like a tempest, each emotion crashing against the fragile walls of my composure. I felt utterly alone,

and support

their ambitions, and their decelt pressed

beneath its oppressive weight. I struggled to

of emotions that threatened to consume me whole.

to surrender to the torrent of tears, each one a

insides.

once envisioned, now shattered into a million irreparable fragments.

lay there, cocooned in the darkness of my despair.

into hours, but still, the ache in my chest remained, a constant reminder of the betrayal that

my world asunder.

and broken promises. But even in slumber, there was no escape from the harsh reality of my

wrapped around myself. I froze, my heart pounding with apprehension, as I heard my mother’s voice urging me to open the door. With a reluctant

open the door, my mother’s worried expression greeting

us in,” she implored, her voice

shut out the world was almost overwhelming. But eventually, I

over my chest in a defensive gesture. I refused to meet their gaze, my anger simmering just beneath the

mother approached tentatively, her eyes brimming with tears. “Ariel, darling, I’m