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.

was acceptable to manipulate me into marriage for your own ambitions?”

volumes, leaving me with a searing sense of

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

turned away, weighed

need time to process this,” I murmured, my voice barely audible over

betrayal bore down on me like a leaden cloak, suffocating me with its heaviness. Without another

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

370 BROKEN BONDS

burst. Tears streamed down my cheeks unchecked, each droplet a testament to

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 that throbbed with

agony.

the core. How could they have orchestrated something so cruel and manipulative? Did they truly see me as nothing more than a pawn in

status?

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

and support

their decelt pressed down on

threatening to crush me beneath its oppressive weight.

threatened to

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

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

once envisioned, now shattered into a million

lose all meaning as I lay there,

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

my world

betrayal and broken promises. But even in slumber, there was no escape from the harsh reality of my shattered dreams and the bitter taste of betrayal

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

the door, my mother’s worried

she

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

retreated to the safety of my bed, my arms crossed tightly over my chest in a defensive gesture.

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