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She walked into the office, but it wasn't just the architect waiting there. It was her brother, Simon, looking anxious.
"No," she said, sliding the folder back across the table. "I'm keeping the only thing that actually belongs to us. We aren't building condos, Simon. We're building a foundation." [S7E23] Ashlee's Big Decision: Part 2
Ashlee stood, her knees feeling like they were made of water. In Part 1, it had been about the discovery: the sudden inheritance of her grandmother’s estate, paired with the devastating news that the historic library at its center was structurally unsound. She had two choices: sign the demolition papers to make way for a lucrative, life-changing condo development, or sink every penny of her own savings into a restoration project that had no guarantee of success. She walked into the office, but it wasn't
"You don't have to be the hero, Ash," Simon whispered as she sat down. "That money could pay for Mom’s care for the next decade. Gran would have understood." "I'm keeping the only thing that actually belongs to us
Ashlee looked at the blueprints spread across the table. She remembered the smell of old parchment and the way the golden hour light used to hit the mahogany shelves where she’d learned to read. If she signed the papers, the history of her family—and the town—would be leveled by Monday.
The architect cleared his throat. "The developers need an answer by five. If you sign, the wire transfer hits your account tomorrow morning."
Ashlee picked up the pen. She thought of the "Big Decision" everyone expected her to make—the logical one. The safe one. Then she thought of the hidden room she’d found in the basement yesterday, filled with journals she hadn't yet finished reading. "I'm not signing," Ashlee said, her voice finally steady. Simon gasped. "Ashlee, you’re throwing it all away."
She walked into the office, but it wasn't just the architect waiting there. It was her brother, Simon, looking anxious.
"No," she said, sliding the folder back across the table. "I'm keeping the only thing that actually belongs to us. We aren't building condos, Simon. We're building a foundation."
Ashlee stood, her knees feeling like they were made of water. In Part 1, it had been about the discovery: the sudden inheritance of her grandmother’s estate, paired with the devastating news that the historic library at its center was structurally unsound. She had two choices: sign the demolition papers to make way for a lucrative, life-changing condo development, or sink every penny of her own savings into a restoration project that had no guarantee of success.
"You don't have to be the hero, Ash," Simon whispered as she sat down. "That money could pay for Mom’s care for the next decade. Gran would have understood."
Ashlee looked at the blueprints spread across the table. She remembered the smell of old parchment and the way the golden hour light used to hit the mahogany shelves where she’d learned to read. If she signed the papers, the history of her family—and the town—would be leveled by Monday.
The architect cleared his throat. "The developers need an answer by five. If you sign, the wire transfer hits your account tomorrow morning."
Ashlee picked up the pen. She thought of the "Big Decision" everyone expected her to make—the logical one. The safe one. Then she thought of the hidden room she’d found in the basement yesterday, filled with journals she hadn't yet finished reading. "I'm not signing," Ashlee said, her voice finally steady. Simon gasped. "Ashlee, you’re throwing it all away."