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.

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

spoke volumes, leaving me with a searing sense of betrayal.

in your social climbing game,” I declared my

spill as I turned away, weighed down by disappointment

to process this,” I murmured, my voice barely audible over the tumult

around me. The weight of their betrayal bore down on me like a leaden cloak, suffocating

door behind me and locked it with a shaky hand.

370 BROKEN BONDS

Tears streamed down my cheeks unchecked, each droplet a testament to the pain and betrayal i felt

wracking my body uncontrollably. It felt as

agony.

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

status?

fragile walls of my composure. I felt utterly alone, abandoned by the very people who were supposed to

and support me.

their ambitions, and their decelt

its oppressive weight. I struggled to catch

wave of emotions that threatened to

I allowed myself to surrender to

and anguish that gnawed at my insides. It

I had once envisioned, now shattered into a million irreparable

there, cocooned in the darkness of my despair. Minutes

in my chest remained, a constant reminder of

world

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

the fragile cocoon of thoughts I had 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 sigh,

lock and pulled open the door, my mother’s worried expression greeting me.

please let us in,” she implored, her

for a moment; the urge to slam the door shut and shut out the world was almost overwhelming. But eventually, I stepped aside, allowing my parents to

and I retreated to the safety of my bed, my arms crossed tightly over my chest in a defensive gesture. I refused to meet their gaze, my

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