Chapter 505

"I'll make it up to you for what my father did."

The words felt like a dull knife twisting in my chest. I looked straight at him. "Hayden, are you really just accepting this?

"Haven't you been digging into this the whole time?

"Is this all you found—that your father tampered with the brakes and caused my parents' deaths?"

We'd suspected it might be true, but he'd promised me answers, promised me closure.

And now, instead of giving me that, he was just... accepting this inconclusive report. Even the police couldn't say it for sure.

Was this some kind of brush-off? Or did he just want me to hate him, to resent him because of his dad?

He didn't look at me, didn't say a word.

The bitterness tightened in my chest as I thought about how easily he'd pushed me away. "Hayden... did you already know about this? Is that why you broke up with me over what happened in Houston? Was it just an excuse?"

"No," he said firmly.

My eyes wavered.

He looked down, watching the raindrops splatter o