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.

you thought it was acceptable to manipulate me into marriage for your own

with a searing sense

in your social climbing game,” I

threatened to spill as I turned away, weighed down by disappointment and

my voice

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 fled from the living room, seeking solace in the

a shaky hand.

370 BROKEN BONDS

unchecked, each droplet a testament to the pain

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

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

status?

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

support me.

weight of their expectations, their ambitions, and their decelt pressed

weight. I struggled to catch my

of emotions that threatened to

the solitude of my room, I allowed myself to surrender to the torrent

the pain and anguish that gnawed at my insides. It was as though I were

now

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

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

my world

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

mother’s voice urging me to open the door. With

I turned the lock and pulled open the

us in,” she implored, her voice filled, with remorse.

to slam the door shut and shut out the world was almost overwhelming. But eventually, I stepped aside, allowing

tightly over my chest in a defensive

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