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.

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

spoke volumes, leaving me with a

social climbing game,” I declared my voice resonating

I turned away, weighed down by disappointment and hurt.

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

me. The weight of their betrayal bore down on me like a leaden cloak, suffocating me with its heaviness.

locked it with a

370 BROKEN BONDS

Tears streamed down my cheeks unchecked, each droplet a testament to the pain and

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

agony.

something so cruel and manipulative? Did they truly see me as nothing more than

status?

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

and support

ambitions, and their

crush me beneath its oppressive weight. I

emotions that threatened to consume me whole.

to surrender to the torrent of

gnawed at my insides. It was as though I were mourning the

now shattered into a million

meaning as I lay there, cocooned in the darkness

chest remained, a constant reminder of the betrayal that

my world asunder.

in slumber, there

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

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

us in,” she implored,

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

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

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