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.

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

volumes, leaving me with a searing sense

in your social climbing game,” I

to spill as I turned away, weighed down

I murmured, my

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

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

370 BROKEN BONDS

finally burst. Tears streamed down my cheeks unchecked, each droplet a testament to the pain and betrayal i felt deep in my soul.

burled my face in my hands, the sobs wracking my body uncontrollably. It felt as though my heart had been torn from my chest, leaving

agony.

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

status?

a tempest, each emotion crashing against the fragile walls of my

support me.

and their decelt pressed down on me

crush me beneath its oppressive weight. I struggled

of emotions that threatened to consume

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

of the pain and anguish that gnawed at my insides. It was as

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

lay there, cocooned in the

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

world asunder.

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

I heard my mother’s voice urging me to open the

lock and pulled open the

let us in,” she implored, her voice

shut out the world was almost overwhelming. But eventually, I stepped aside, allowing my parents to enter

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

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