I froze, staring at Ashton in disbelief.

His father had been the driver. If the accident had been caused by brake failure, then the responsibility would fall on him.

For a long moment, neither of us spoke. We just looked at each other, the weight of everything pressing down on us.

After a while, Ashton's hand shifted slightly on my shoulder. "My father was behind the wheel. If the brakes failed, whether due to human error or a mechanical issue… ...