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?”

volumes, leaving me with

your social climbing game,” I declared my voice resonating through the

turned away, weighed down by

process this,” I murmured, my voice barely audible over the tumult of emotions.

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

with a shaky hand. The dam of emotions I had been

370 BROKEN BONDS

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

my body uncontrollably. It felt as though my heart had been torn from my chest, leaving behind a raw, gaping wound that

agony.

of my parents‘ betrayal cut me to the core. How could they have orchestrated something so cruel and

status?

me like a tempest, each emotion crashing against the fragile walls of my

support

their expectations, their ambitions, and their decelt pressed down on me like a

its oppressive weight. I struggled

wave of emotions that threatened to consume

allowed myself to surrender to the torrent of tears, each one

that gnawed at my insides. It was

once envisioned, now shattered into a

meaning as I lay there, cocooned

chest

world asunder.

exhaustion overtook me, and I drifted into an uneasy sleep, my dreams haunted by visions of betrayal and broken promises. But even in slumber, there was no escape from the harsh reality of my shattered dreams and the bitter

heart pounding with apprehension, as I heard my mother’s voice urging me to open the door. With a reluctant sigh, I rose from my bed, every fiber of my being resisting the inevitable confrontation

I turned the lock and pulled open the door, my mother’s worried expression

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

of my bed, my arms crossed tightly over my chest

“Ariel, darling, I’m so sorry,” she whispered, reaching out a trembling hand.