Chapter 9
Wesley and Claire exchanged uneasy glances, torn between shielding their recently reunited daughter from their problems and worrying that keeping secrets would only make her feel more like an outsider. After a tense moment, Wesley made up his mind.
"Avery, we don't want to hide anything from you about the situation our family is in.
"Five years ago, we managed to scrape together enough money to buy a duplex in Bard Garden, a new residential complex not far from here. We had dreams of moving the whole family in and bringing your grandparents to live with us.
"The house was supposed to be ready three years ago, according to the contract. But..." Wesley sighed, the frustration and helplessness weighing on his face. He continued, "Just when the project was nearing completion, the owner of Bard Property fled overseas with a massive sum of money.
"Suppliers, renovation companies, and construction crews all started showing up, demanding payment. But the company went bankrupt, leaving nothing to pay them with. So, the entire development was put on hold. The completed units can't be handed over, and construction on the unfinished ones has stopped.
"Even though the homeowners won their lawsuits, Bard Property has to settle its debts with the suppliers and builders before anything can move forward. So, we and all the other homeowners are stuck, waiting for them to clear those debts."
Avery remembered the protest she'd seen earlier outside Bard Garden. It hit her—Arthur was probably there, organizing and leading the whole thing.
"The police are trying to track down the owner of Bard Property," Claire added, wiping her eyes. "But since he's overseas, it's complicated, and the situation just drags on and on."
"Our mortgage payments are about 4,000 dollars a month," Wesley continued. "The money our kids saved has been going straight into those payments, but the idea of ever moving into that house feels more hopeless by the day."