Chapter 162

Matthew froze in his tracks, and I could feel him sway, just a little.

I instinctively reached out to steady him. "Matthew!"

He turned to face me, his expression tense. "Why are you asking this all of a sudden?"

I thought about what Hayden had said, but I couldn't bring myself to tell Matthew the truth. So, I played it off with a casual shrug. "I was just curious. No big deal."

The smile vanished from his face, and the way he looked at me sent a cold chill down my spine.

"Rea, your parents' car accident was exactly that—an accident. I went to the scene myself. The police were there, and there's a full investigation report," Matthew said, his voice serious.

I hadn't been at the scene back then. I didn't know the details firsthand.

Matthew had kept me away, told me not to come. He didn't want me to see something so awful, and I knew he was trying to protect me. But still, it left me with this lingering regret that never really went away.

"If you have doubts or don't believe me, y