Chapter 20 Summary, Analysis, and Study Guide
⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.
Summary
The chapter opens with Katarina alone in the locker room, wrestling with the news she received from her brother Lee about her missing inheritance. She immediately decides she cannot tell Heath—he would be furious enough to fly back to Illinois and confront Lee physically. Katarina sees this as her own problem, her own family mess, and she is determined to fix it herself without involving Heath.
She calls her childhood home number on her new cellphone. A woman with a scratchy, sultry voice answers, clearly under the influence of something, and Katarina recognizes the jealousy in her tone. After a brief exchange, Lee gets on the line. Katarina demands to know what he did with the money their father left for her. Lee laughs, then coughs, and tells her that their father took out loans to fund her skating career, leaving no inheritance at all. He accuses her of getting more than her fair share, calling her a princess who spent money on ice twirling lessons and pretty dresses. Katarina refuses to believe him, suggesting he blew the money on drugs, but Lee insists that their father's debts consumed everything.
Katarina then proposes selling the family house to cover the debts, but Lee flatly refuses, saying their ancestors built it with their bare hands and their parents are buried there. He also accuses Katarina of leaving him alone, which is the closest he ever comes to admitting he misses her. The call ends with Lee hanging up on her. Katarina screams in frustration and snaps her phone shut.
Garrett Lin appears at the locker room door, having heard her outburst. Katarina quickly composes herself, remembering the Academy's lesson: gold medalists don't scream, and they only cry pretty, photogenic tears. She tells Garrett she received bad news, but when he offers help, she dismisses it as a miscommunication about training fees. Garrett offers to ask his mother for an extension, but Katarina declines, knowing they've already received several extensions. She doesn't want to reveal the depth of her financial trouble.
Garrett then offers her a different kind of help: a modeling job for an athleisure brand. He explains that Bella will also be involved, and the company is smaller but popular in Asian markets. The pay isn't much, but the designer is an acquaintance of Garrett's mother, and if he likes Katarina, he might book her again. Katarina hesitates, saying she isn't a model, but Garrett insists she's gorgeous. She thinks about Heath—he wouldn't like this—but decides that Heath doesn't have to know about the modeling job or the missing inheritance. She accepts, planning to handle everything herself and keep their path to the next gold medal clear.
Key Events
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Katarina decides to keep the inheritance news from Heath.
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She calls her brother Lee and learns their father took out loans for her skating, leaving no inheritance.
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Lee refuses to sell the family house and hangs up on her.
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Garrett finds Katarina upset in the locker room and offers help.
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Katarina lies about the nature of her bad news.
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Garrett offers her a modeling job for an athleisure brand, with Bella also involved.
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Katarina accepts the job, planning to keep it and the financial trouble a secret from Heath.
Character Development
Katarina – This chapter reveals her fierce independence and pride. She refuses to burden Heath with her family problems, even though he would want to help. She also declines Garrett's offer to ask his mother for an extension, preferring to handle things herself. Her decision to accept the modeling job, despite feeling unqualified, shows her willingness to do whatever it takes to keep her skating career alive. The secrecy she embraces—hiding both the inheritance loss and the modeling job from Heath—sets up a significant internal conflict.
Lee – Though he appears only briefly, Lee's character is fleshed out through the phone call. He is defensive and dismissive, but also reveals a deep-seated resentment toward Katarina for leaving him. His refusal to sell the house suggests a sentimental attachment to family legacy, even as he struggles with addiction. His accusation that Katarina left him alone hints at a loneliness he can't express directly.
Garrett – Garrett continues to be a supportive and kind presence. He notices Katarina's distress and offers practical help, first with the training fees and then with the modeling job. His compliment that she's gorgeous feels genuine, and his willingness to connect her with a job shows he sees her potential beyond skating. This moment also hints at a possible romantic interest, though Katarina dismisses it as him just being nice.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
Financial Hardship and Sacrifice – The chapter centers on money: the missing inheritance, the loans for skating, the training fees, and the modeling job. Katarina's entire career is built on financial sacrifice, and this chapter shows how that sacrifice continues to shape her decisions.
Family Conflict and Legacy – The phone call with Lee exposes a fractured family. Lee's refusal to sell the house ties to a sense of ancestral legacy, while Katarina's desire to sell it reflects her focus on the present and future. The house becomes a symbol of the family's past and the burden it places on Katarina.
Secrecy and Deception – Katarina's decision to hide both the inheritance loss and the modeling job from Heath introduces a major theme of deception. She believes she can handle everything alone, but this secrecy will likely have consequences.
Independence vs. Reliance – Katarina repeatedly rejects help from Garrett and Heath, insisting on handling things herself. This independence is both a strength and a potential flaw, as it isolates her from those who care about her.
Addiction – Lee's state during the call—the woman's slurred voice, Lee's own intoxication—highlights the theme of addiction that runs through the family. Katarina later acknowledges Lee's addiction as an illness, but at eighteen, she only sees it as another way he's failing her.
Why This Chapter Matters
This chapter is pivotal for Katarina's character arc. It deepens her internal conflict by introducing a secret that will likely strain her relationship with Heath. The revelation about the inheritance—and the truth about her father's loans—forces Katarina to confront the reality of her family's sacrifices, which she had never fully acknowledged. Her decision to accept the modeling job opens a new avenue for income but also creates a potential conflict with her skating career and her relationship. The chapter also strengthens the bond between Katarina and Garrett, setting up a possible love triangle or at least a source of tension. Finally, it reinforces the theme of secrecy that will likely drive future plot developments.
Study Questions and Answers
1. Why does Katarina decide not to tell Heath about the missing inheritance?
Katarina believes Heath would react with extreme anger, possibly flying back to Illinois to confront Lee physically. She sees the situation as her own family problem and is determined to fix it herself, without burdening Heath or risking his involvement.
2. What does Lee's refusal to sell the house reveal about his character?
Lee's refusal shows a deep attachment to family legacy and the past, even as he struggles with addiction and financial irresponsibility. He uses the house as a symbol of their ancestors' hard work and their parents' burial place, suggesting that he clings to tradition as a way to cope with his own failures.
3. How does Garrett's offer of a modeling job complicate Katarina's situation?
The modeling job offers a potential solution to her financial problems, but it also requires her to keep it a secret from Heath, who would likely disapprove. It also introduces a new professional avenue that could distract from her skating or create conflicts of interest. Additionally, it strengthens her connection to Garrett, which may complicate her relationship with Heath.
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