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.

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

silence spoke volumes, leaving me with a searing sense of

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

spill as I turned away, weighed

need time to process this,” I murmured, my voice

turned away from my parents, feeling like my world was crumbling around me. The weight of their betrayal bore down on me like a leaden cloak,

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

370 BROKEN BONDS

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

face in my hands, the sobs wracking my body uncontrollably. It felt as though my heart had been torn from my chest, leaving behind a raw, gaping wound

agony.

cruel and manipulative? Did they truly see me as nothing more

status?

sadness swirled within me like a tempest, each emotion crashing against the fragile walls of my composure. I felt utterly alone, abandoned by the very

and support me.

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

to crush me beneath its oppressive weight. I struggled to catch my breath

emotions that threatened

room, I allowed myself to surrender to the torrent of tears, each

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

once envisioned, now

seemed to lose all meaning as I lay there, cocooned in the darkness of my

ache in my chest remained, a constant reminder of the betrayal that had

world

drifted into an uneasy sleep, my dreams haunted by visions of betrayal and broken promises. But even in slumber, there

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

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

sweetheart, please let us in,” she

a moment; the urge to slam the door shut and shut out the world was

arms crossed tightly over my chest in a

brimming with tears. “Ariel, darling,