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

spoke volumes, leaving me with

social climbing game,”

turned away, weighed down by disappointment

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

weight of their betrayal bore down on me like a leaden cloak, suffocating me with its heaviness.

closed the door behind me and locked it with a shaky hand. The

370 BROKEN BONDS

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

hands, the sobs wracking my body uncontrollably. It felt as though my heart had been

agony.

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

status?

each emotion crashing against the fragile walls of my composure. I felt utterly alone, abandoned by the

and support

and their decelt pressed down

its oppressive weight. I struggled to catch my

wave of emotions that threatened

my room, I allowed myself to surrender to the torrent of tears, each one a cathartic

anguish that gnawed at my insides. It was as though I were mourning the loss of

I had once envisioned, now shattered into a million

there, cocooned in the

hours, but still, the ache in my chest remained, a constant reminder

world

even in slumber, there was no escape from the

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 of my being resisting the inevitable confrontation

the door, my mother’s worried expression

she implored, her voice filled, with

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

over my chest in a defensive gesture. I refused to meet their

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