Alarmed, I crashed their wedding with the papers in hand, ready to expose him and stop what I believed was a mistake. That’s when the truth hit me like a punch.

The debt wasn’t shady at all. Aaron had taken out a loan to help my mom surprise me with the restaurant I’d dreamed of owning. He planned to work there, unpaid, as her pastry chef to make it a family business. In my rush to protect her, I nearly destroyed a moment that was full of love and hope.

My mom was heartbroken by my distrust, and guilt washed over me. I had been so focused on saving her from pain that I missed how much they cared—for each other, and for me. In trying to protect her, I almost lost everything that really mattered.