372: TANGLED

ARIEL'S POV "Ariel, please try to understand. We never wanted to hurt you. We just thought we were doing what was best for the family." My mother continued to plead with me. I pulled away from her touch. "Well, you were wrong, Mom. Dead wrong. "And now I have to suffer the consequences of your mistake." "Ariel, just understand that this is all worth it. We can't go down and let the business fall. This is the only option we have, and it's the one that's going to make our lives better than ever." "You keep saying that, Mom, but it doesn't change anything. You and Dad made a decision about my life without even consulting me. How can you expect me to just accept that?" She mirrored my anguish. "Ariel, please, I know we made a mistake. But we were just trying to do what we thought was best for the family. Can't you see that?" I shook my head, the pain cutting deep. "I don't care about the family right now, Mom. All I care about is my own happiness and my own future." Before she could