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

silence spoke volumes, leaving me with a searing sense of

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

spill as I turned away, weighed

time to process this,” I murmured, my voice

parents, feeling like my world was crumbling around me. The weight of their betrayal bore down on me like a leaden cloak, suffocating me with its heaviness. Without another word, I

it with a shaky hand. The dam of emotions

370 BROKEN BONDS

finally burst. Tears streamed down my cheeks unchecked, each droplet a testament to the

my face in my hands, the sobs wracking my body uncontrollably. It felt as though

agony.

parents‘ betrayal cut me to the core. How could they have orchestrated something so cruel and manipulative? Did they truly see me as nothing more than a pawn in their quest for

status?

profound sadness swirled within me like a tempest, each emotion crashing against the fragile walls of my

support

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

weight. I struggled to catch my

emotions that threatened to consume me

my room, I allowed myself to surrender to the

at my insides. It was as though I were mourning

envisioned, now shattered into a million irreparable

meaning as I lay there, cocooned

the ache in my chest

my world asunder.

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

knock on my door shattered 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, I rose from my bed, every fiber

the lock and pulled open the door, my

she implored,

shut out the

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

her eyes brimming with tears. “Ariel, darling, I’m so sorry,” she whispered, reaching