349: UNDER SIEGE
LUKE’S POV
“Brenda, I thought I made myself clear,” I said, my tone firm as I tried to keep my frustration in check. “I’m not interested in pursuing anything further with you.”
There was a moment of silence on the other end of the line, and I could sense Brenda’s confusion and disappointment. “But Luke, I thought we had a connection. Why are you suddenly pulling away?”
I sighed, feeling a twinge of guilt for leading her on, even unintentionally. “I’m sorry if I gave you the wrong impression, but I’m just not interested in pursuing a relationship right now. My focus is on other priorities.”
Brenda’s tone turned pleading. “But I really want to see you again, Luke. Can’t we just meet up and talk about this?”
I shook my head, even though she couldn’t see me. “I’m sorry, Brenda, but I don’t think that
ould be a good idea. It’s best if we just go our separate ways.”
re was a hint of frustration in Brenda’s voice now. “Fine, Luke. If that’s what you want.
But don’t come crawling back to me when you realize what you’re missing.”
I back and retort, knowing that it would only escalate the situation further. “Goodbye,
Brenda.”
With that, I ended the call and let out a long sigh, feeling a mix of relief and guilt wash over me. I knew I had made the right decision by prioritizing my family and career over fleeting relationships, but it didn’t make the conversation any easier.
ARIEL’S POV
Stepping through the grand entrance of our mansion, the familiar sight of opulent furnishings and elegant decor greeted me. But something felt different today. The air seemed heavier, and a sense of unease settled in the pit of my stomach.
I glanced around, noticing the somber expressions on my parents‘ faces as they sat in the living room. Their usually vibrant energy was replaced by a quiet sadness that sent a chill. down my spine.
“Dad, Mom, what’s wrong?” I asked, my voice tinged with concern as I approached them. ” Is everything okay?”
My father looked up, his eyes clouded with sorrow, but he quickly averted his gaze.
“It’s
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nothing, Ariel. Don’t worry about it.”
But I could tell by the tightness in his voice that it was far from nothing. My mother remained silent, her eyes fixed on some distant point, and I could see the tears glistening in her eyes.
I couldn’t bear to see them like this, their pain palpable even in their attempts to hide it.” Please, tell me what’s wrong,” I pleaded, reaching out to touch my mother’s hand. “I want to help.”
My father sighed heavily, his shoulders sagging under the weight of whatever burden he carried. “It’s just… some family matters, Ariel. We’ll handle it.”
“But I’m a part of this family too,” I insisted, my voice trembling with emotion. “Please, let me help you. I can’t stand to see you both like this.”
For a moment, there was a flicker of hesitation in my father’s eyes as if he were considering my offer. But then he shook his head, his expression closing off once more.
“It’s not
something you need to worry about, Ariel. Just focus on your studies and leave the rest to us.
I telt a surge of frustration and helplessness wash over me. Why were they shutting me out like this? Didn’t they trust me enough to confide in me?
“But I can’t just ignore it,” I protested, my voice rising with desperation. “I need to know what’s going on. Please, Dad, Mom, talk to me.”
But my pleas fell on deaf ears as my parents remained silent, their expressions unreadable. It was as if they had built a wall around themselves, shutting me out completely.
Tears welled up in my eyes as I realized that I was powerless to break through their defenses. All I could do was stand there, feeling utterly helpless as the weight of their unspoken troubles hung heavy in the air.
“Dad, please,” I implored, the desperation evident in my voice as I reached out to grasp my father’s hand. “I can see that something is deeply troubling you both. You raised me to be part of this family, to share in both the joys and the burdens. Let me help you.”
His gaze softened, but it was with sadness that he met my eyes. “Ariel, it’s not that we don’t trust you or value your support. It’s just… difficult to burden you with this.”
I squeezed his hand tighter. “I can handle it, Dad. Whatever it is, we’ll face it together as a family.”
He sighed heavily, his shoulders slumping with the weight of his confession. “Our family business… it’s not doing well, Ariel. Despite our best efforts, we’re facing financial
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challenges that threaten its stability.”
My heart sank at his words, the gravity of the situation hitting me like a ton of bricks. “But… how? I thought everything was going smoothly.”
“We’ve been struggling to keep up with the changing market trends and increased competition,” my father explained. “But our situation only worsened.”
Tears streamed down my cheeks as I processed the devastating news. Our family business wasn’t just a source of income; it was our legacy, something we had poured our hearts and souls into for generations.
“I’m so sorry, Dad,” I choked out, my voice thick with emotion. “I had no idea…”
My mother wrapped her arms around me, pulling me into a comforting embrace. “We didn’t want to worry you, sweetheart. But now that you know, we’ll need your strength and support more than ever.”
I nodded. “We’ll get through this, together. I promise.”
My father’s eyes was with gratitude while he squeezed my hand. “Thank you, Ariel. Your Isilience always give me hope for our family’s future.”
“But I have a question,” I uttered, and then I continued, “How did this happen? How do the situation of the business become so terrible?”
My mother took a deep breath. “It’s all because of our confrontation with Simon.”
“Wait, Simon? I don’t get it.”
“Ariel. Ever since we drove Simon out of our mansion, his father stopped being friends with me,” my father revealed. “And since that man is more powerful than us when it comes to this wealth stuff, he went ahead to…”
“He went ahead to what?” I quizzed after my father paused.
“He went ahead to sabotage our business,” my father confessed. Simon’s father used his influence and connections to spread rumors about us, tarnishing our reputation in the industry. As a result, we lost valuable partnerships and contracts, causing a significant
decline in our business.”
My eyes widened in disbelief f that very moment. “I can’t believe they would stoop so low.”
My mother nodded, her expression pained. “It’s a harsh reality, Ariel. But we must face it head–on and work together to rebuild what we’ve lost.”
My mind raced with a whirlwind of emotions. “We can’t let them get away with this. We
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have to fight back.”
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My father placed a reassuring hand on my shoulder, “We will, Ariel, But for now, we must focus on stabilizing our business and regaining the trust of our partners and clients. Revenge won’t solve anything.
“No, father. I’m going to meet that man right now, and put him in his place.” I marched out of the house. I could hear my mother yelling my name, telling me to stop. But right now, Simon and his father needed to know they were just no disgusting.
