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

with a

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

spill as I turned away, weighed down by disappointment

this,” I murmured, my

down on me like a leaden cloak, suffocating me with its heaviness. Without another word, I fled

a shaky hand. The dam of emotions I had been

370 BROKEN BONDS

a testament to the pain and betrayal i

as though my heart had been torn from

agony.

could they have orchestrated something so cruel and manipulative? Did they truly see me as

status?

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

support me.

ambitions, and their decelt pressed down on

crush me beneath its oppressive weight. I struggled to catch

of emotions that threatened

myself to surrender to the torrent of tears, each

and anguish that gnawed at my insides. It was

envisioned, now shattered into a

there, cocooned in the darkness of my despair.

chest remained, a

world

uneasy sleep, my dreams haunted by visions of betrayal and broken promises. But even in slumber, there was no escape from the harsh reality

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

and pulled open the door, my

she implored, her

shut out the world was almost overwhelming. But

threshold, 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

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