That sounds like you have a debt. Love is beside the point in that case, honestly. If you feel like you're responsible for someone's price-paying, it feels like a collar growing tighter all the time until you either forgive yourself or find out that you didn't actually cause the car to veer out of control and lead to your family's death.
...that was specific. But I mean, I don't understand love, but I understand guilt and debt. If you can't repay a debt you owe someone because you wrecked their life, you have to repay it in different ways.