My cousin’s fiancé looked confused.

“What’s happening?”

The restaurant director walked directly to me.

“The rooftop is secured, ma’am.”

My cousin stared at him. “Why are you talking to HER?”

I held my daughter close while she cried against my shoulder.

“Because six months ago,” I said quietly, “this restaurant was bankrupt.”

Nobody spoke.

“I bought it before your fiancé could.”

The silence became unbearable.

My cousin’s face slowly changed from anger to panic.

Her fiancé looked at her. “You told me your family invested here.”

She opened her mouth.

Nothing came out.

I picked up the burned sketchbook carefully.

“You destroyed the last thing my daughter had from her father,” I whispered.

The restaurant staff looked furious now too.

They remembered who kept them employed.

My cousin stepped toward me desperately. “Please don’t ruin tonight.”

I looked around the rooftop.

“You already ruined it.”

Then I nodded once to the director.

And the giant “Will You Marry Me?” sign behind her went completely dark.