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.

indignation. “So you thought it was acceptable to manipulate me into

silence spoke volumes, leaving me with a

social climbing game,” I declared my voice resonating

to spill as I turned away, weighed down

I murmured, my voice

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

door behind me and locked it with a shaky hand. The dam of emotions I had

370 BROKEN BONDS

each droplet a testament to

the sobs wracking my body uncontrollably. It felt as though my

agony.

orchestrated something so cruel

status?

each emotion crashing against the fragile walls of my composure.

and support me.

their expectations, their ambitions, and their decelt pressed down on me

to crush me beneath its oppressive weight.

that threatened to

surrender to the torrent of tears, each one

that gnawed at my insides. It was as

future I had once envisioned, now shattered into a million irreparable

I lay there, cocooned

ache in my chest remained, a constant

world asunder.

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

knock 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 my bed, every fiber of my being resisting the inevitable confrontation awaiting me on the other

the door, my mother’s worried expression greeting me.

let us in,” she

slam the door shut and shut out the world was almost

my arms crossed tightly over my chest in a defensive gesture. I

eyes brimming with tears. “Ariel, darling, I’m so sorry,”