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

with a

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

away, weighed down by disappointment

this,” I murmured, my voice barely audible over the tumult of

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

and locked it with a shaky hand. The dam of emotions I had been holding

370 BROKEN BONDS

down my cheeks unchecked, each droplet a testament to the

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 that

agony.

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

status?

like a tempest, each emotion crashing against the fragile walls of my composure. I felt utterly

and support

their ambitions, and their decelt pressed down on me like

beneath its oppressive weight. I struggled to catch my

that threatened to consume me whole.

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

gnawed at my insides. It was as

now shattered into a million irreparable fragments.

I lay there, cocooned

still, the ache in my chest remained,

world asunder.

slumber, there was no escape from the harsh reality of my

heard my mother’s voice urging me to open the door. With a reluctant sigh, I rose from my bed, every

and pulled open the door, my

please let us in,” she implored, her

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

to the safety of my bed, my arms crossed tightly over my chest in a defensive gesture. I refused to meet their

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