Chapter 4: The Brother Behind the Wheel

The traffic footage changed everything.

For the first time, the story Sean's family had accepted without question began falling apart.

Felix was the one driving the car.

Sean had been sitting beside him.

My father stared at the frozen image on the screen.

His voice was barely audible.

"Why did you tell us Sean was driving?"

Felix immediately shook his head.

"I was frightened."

"After the accident, I couldn't remember anything clearly."

"I thought Sean was driving."

The investigator looked at him coldly.

"You identified yourself as the passenger in the first emergency report."

"You remembered enough to tell paramedics that Sean had been driving."

Felix's lips trembled.

"I must have been confused."

My father slowly turned toward him.

"What happened in that car?"

"Nothing."

"Then why was Sean telling you to slow down?"

Felix lowered his head.

"We were arguing."

"About the scholarship?"

"Yes."

"And what did Sean mean when he said you should let him drive?"

Felix remained silent.

The room became painfully quiet.

My mother suddenly stepped forward.

"Enough."

"He's been through a traumatic accident."

"You can't keep interrogating him."

The investigator looked at her.

"Ms. Blanchard, your son's condition may explain confusion."

"It doesn't explain false statements."

My mother clenched her jaw.

"Are you accusing Felix of killing his brother?"

"I'm saying we need to establish what happened."

Felix suddenly began crying.

"Mom, I didn't hurt Sean."

"I would never hurt him."

My mother immediately wrapped her arms around him.

"I know."

"I know my son."

My soul watched the scene silently.

Even now, she trusted Felix without hesitation.

Even now, she couldn't imagine that he might be lying.

The police eventually left with the evidence.

But the questions remained.

That night, my father went home alone.

For the first time since my death, he entered my bedroom.

Everything was still there.

My old books.

My school trophies.

The scholarship acceptance letter I had been too afraid to celebrate because I knew Felix had wanted it.

On the desk sat a photograph of the two of us as children.

We were both smiling.

My father picked it up.

"You always protected him," he whispered.

"Why didn't I ever see that?"

He sat on the edge of the bed.

For years, I had tried to earn his approval.

I had studied harder.

Worked harder.

Avoided causing problems.

When Felix wanted something, I gave it to him.

When my parents praised him, I smiled.

When they blamed me, I accepted it.

Because I believed that one day they would notice.

But they never did.

My father opened another drawer.

Inside was a notebook.

My private journal.

He hesitated before opening it.

The first page was dated three years earlier.

"Mom says Felix is more talented than me."

"Dad says I should learn to be more understanding."

"I don't know what I'm doing wrong."

My father's hands began shaking.

He turned another page.

"I got the highest score again today."

"Nobody asked."

"Felix got second place."

"Everyone celebrated."

Another page.

"Sometimes I wonder whether they would notice if I disappeared."

My father closed the notebook immediately.

Tears filled his eyes.

"Sean..."

He covered his face.

"I'm sorry."

But I couldn't hear him.

I couldn't comfort him.

And I couldn't forgive him yet.

Across town, Felix sat alone in his bedroom.

His expression had completely changed.

The innocent younger brother was gone.

He looked at his phone.

A message appeared.

"The police have the footage."

Felix typed back.

"I know."

"What should I do?"

The reply came almost immediately.

"Destroy the remaining evidence."

Felix stared at the message.

"And if they discover the truth?"

"Then make sure they believe Sean caused the accident."

Felix's hands trembled.

He had never expected things to go this far.

He had only wanted the scholarship.

Then the family attention.

Then the future he believed belonged to him.

He had never planned for Sean to die.

At least, that was what he told himself.

But when he remembered the moments before the crash...

He remembered turning the wheel.

He remembered Sean grabbing the dashboard.

He remembered hearing Sean scream.

And he remembered choosing not to stop.

The following morning, investigators returned to the Goodman house.

They had obtained a warrant.

"We're searching Felix's room for digital evidence related to the accident."

My mother immediately protested.

"This is my home."

"And Felix is innocent."

"We have probable cause," the officer replied.

Felix stood frozen near the stairs.

Officers searched the room.

Drawers.

Closets.

Backups.

Laptops.

Then one officer opened a locked metal box.

Inside was a second phone.

Felix went pale.

"That's not mine."

The officer turned it on.

The device contained several deleted messages.

One conversation was only partially recovered.

"Did you change the route?"

"Yes."

"And the brake system?"

"Done."

"After the crash, make sure Sean gets blamed."

My mother's face turned white.

My father stared at Felix.

"What is this?"

Felix stepped backward.

"I can explain."

"No," my father said.

"You will tell us the truth."

Felix looked toward my mother.

He expected her to protect him.

But for the first time...

She couldn't speak.

The officer placed the phone into an evidence bag.

"Felix Goodman, you're coming with us for questioning."

As they led him away, Felix suddenly turned toward my mother.

"Mom!"

"Tell them I didn't mean for him to die!"

The words echoed through the house.

My mother froze.

My father's eyes widened.

The investigator slowly turned back.

"You just admitted you were involved."

Felix stopped moving.

It was already too late.

The truth was out.

And there was nothing anyone could do to bring Sean back.