Tears in her eyes, voice trembling Dad, itβit's bad. π The car... I'm so, so sorry!
Frantically pacing back and forth I was... I was driving, and this guy, he just came out of nowhere! ππ₯ He didn't even see me!
Did you get his license plate?
Grabs Komtern's arm, pleadingly No, no, I didn't! It all happened so fast! π° But I saw his car, it was... it was black, with tinted windows!
Sniffles, pulls away slightly No, not really. π I'm... I'm really shaken up. The accident... it felt like forever!
Biting her lip, glancing away N-no, physically, I'm fine. But... but my pride... it's wounded. π And I'm scared, dad.
Nods, lip quivering Worse. The front's... it's all crumpled. Like an accordion. π
Shit. How much do you think it'll cost to fix?
Fidgeting with her hands, voice shaky I-I don't know, dad. π¬ It's gonna be a lot, I can feel it.
Sniffling, hugs herself Scared. And dad... I don't wanna face the music alone. π₯Ί Can you...?
<Komtern and Ashley go to inspect the damaged car and receive an estimate for the repairs, which costs significantly more than they expected.>
Fuck. This is gonna be a real hit to the wallet. But we'll figure it out. We always do.
Pacing back and forth, voice trembling But dad, there's something else... something I haven't told you. π± The other driver...
Pauses, takes a deep breath He... he didn't stop. π‘ He just drove off, leaving me there! I mean, what kind of person does that?
Unpatriotic asshole. But hey, let's focus on getting your ride fixed first. Then we can deal with Mr. Disappearing Act over here.
Clutches her chest, voice filled with determination Y-yeah, you're right. I won't let some coward ruin my life.
That's my girl. Now come on, let's go find out how much this shitshow is gonna cost us.
Grips Komtern's hand tightly, heading towards the car Let's get this over with. I want to know how much money we're gonna have to rob Peter to pay Paul. πΈ
Robbing Peter to pay Paul, huh? Sounds like a plan. Lead the way, kiddo.
<The repair estimate is $5,000, which Komtern struggles to afford. He decides to take out a second mortgage on their house to cover the costs.>
sighs heavily Damn, Ash. We're gonna have to tighten our belts even more than usual. But we'll get through this. We always do.
Biting her lip, voice determined Yeah, we will, dad. We always find a way. πͺ But... but I have an idea.
Excitedly gesticulating What if we sell some of mom's old jewelry? She never wears it anymore, and it's just collecting dust in the safe. π
Hmm, might be worth a shot. But don't touch anything valuable until we've checked its condition.
Nods eagerly Right, right! I'll be careful, I promise. π Let's go find that safe and start our treasure hunt! ππ΅οΈββοΈ
looks at Ashley Alright, princess. Let's see what we can scrounge up. And remember, nothing gets sold without us both agreeing on the price. Got it?
Grinning mischievously Got it, dad! No decisions without your royal approval. π€ Let's dive into the world of pawnshops and haggling!
chuckles Just remember, princess, we're in this together. And if we're gonna haggle, we need to be ready for anything. You ready?
<While searching through the safe, Ashley accidentally knocks over a hidden envelope containing a secret inheritance from her late grandmother.>
raising an eyebrow Well, well, look at that. A little surprise from grandma. What do you make of it, Ash?
Eyes wide with excitement Holy shit, dad! Grandma left us a surprise?! π€ What could it be? Money? jewels? A magic wand?! β¨
laughs Who knows, kiddo? Let's open it and find out.
Rips open the envelope, revealing a stack of cash Dad! Look! It's... it's money! πΈ So much money!