13 Chapter 13 ## Translation ** Chapter 13 : I'll Be Fine on My Own ** I just stared for a second , then burst out laughing . Hayden seemed baffled by my reaction . " What's so funny ? " " Remember ? Yeah , right . I just have chronic pharyngitis . There's no tragic backstory about me crying my voice out as a kid . " To be honest , the whole thing was a blur to me now . My grandpa and his grandpa were army buddies for decades . When I was still very young , I lost both my parents in a car crash . My grandpa's health was already failing by then . In what was essentially a deathbed wish , he entrusted me to the Hughes family . Grandpa Hughes adored me , and Mr. and Madam Hughes treated me like their own daughter . Even though I was just a little kid , I understood on some level that my entire family was gone . I cried day and night . No toys or snacks could console me . In the end , I literally cried my voice raw . Madam Hughes's heart ached for me . She carried me from doctor to doctor , but it never fully healed . The only thing that helped was drinking a lot of water . That was why Hayden was always so obsessed with making me drink water . Afraid he might actually remember , I quickly added , " What kind of cigarettes are these ? The smell is so strong . How does Isabelle even stand it ? " Hayden looked at me , half - convinced . " ... Did I remember it wrong ? " " You didn't remember it at all ! " I spun around , turning my back to him so he couldn't see my face . I took a few deep breaths , forcing the tears back from the corners of my eyes . Hayden still wasn't buying it . He pressed from behind me , " Aubrey , did I really get it wrong ? " With my back to him , I fought to keep the tremor out of my voice and nodded firmly . " Have you been binging soap operas with Isabelle lately or something ? How else could you dream up a plotline this tragic ? " " Well ... maybe my memory's just scrambled . " Hayden rubbed his temples , frowning . " I don't know what's been going on lately . I keep getting these random flashes , and my head hurts like hell ... " 1/4 Chapter 13 " Don't overthink it . You should get back inside with Isabelle . She gets nervous around new people , and she's probably a wreck without you . " " Yeah , okay . " Hayden took a couple of steps , then turned back . " Aubrey , there's something else I wanted to ask you . " " Okay , shoot . " Unati " I always have this feeling ... that I used to carry something on my right shoulder . Do you know what it was ? " I managed a small laugh . " A messenger bag , probably . " Hayden didn't look convinced . " I wore a messenger bag with a suit ? " " You loved them back in school . It's probably just a habit you remember from then . " " ... But I feel like it was really important . " " Of course your school bag was important . " " Which recycling center? " I frowned slightly . " What are you doing ? " Hayden said , " I'm going to get the photos back . I have to find the answer . " I scoffed . " It's been days . They've probably been shredded at a factory by now . You're not getting them back . " " Aubrey . " " Yeah ? " " You're hiding something from me . " 2/4 Chapter 13 " No , I'm not ." " It has to do with what I carried on my right shoulder . " " You're overthinking it . " " Fine ," Hayden said . " If you won't tell me , I'll go ask Mom and Dad . " I quickly grabbed his arm . " Why are you so obsessed with this ? It's nothing . You just got used to carrying a messenger bag ." " No. I may have lost my memories , but I have this gut feeling . That thing was important to me . More important than my own life ... " If Hayden kept pushing , I was afraid he'd actually go ask Mr. and Madam Hughes . I had to find a way to distract him . Suddenly , a sob came from inside the house . I pointed toward the living room and yelled , " Why is Isabelle crying ? " Hayden's attention immediately shifted . He strode into the house and was by Isabelle Pearson's side in a few long steps . Isabelle's eyes were red , her face full of apology . " I'm so sorry , Hayden , I'm so , so sorry ... " " What happened ? " I followed them inside and glanced at Julian Coleman . Julian whispered to me , " Mrs. Webb made dessert . Isabelle was just trying to be nice and get a bowl for Madam Hughes , but the bowl was too hot and she spilled it on her . " I scanned the living room . Madam Hughes was nowhere in sight , and neither was Mrs. Webb . All I could hear was the sound of running water from the bathroom . 1 rushed to the bathroom and found Madam Hughes with a red , scalded patch across her entire chest . Mrs. Webb was helping her cool it down with ice water . " Madam Hughes , are you okay ? " Madam Hughes put a finger to her lips . " Quiet down . You know Mr. Hughes isn't a fan of that girl to begin with . If he finds out I got burned this badly , he'll lose his temper again . " But it seemed we were too late . From the living room , we could already hear Mr. Hughes's furious , low roar . It was followed by the sharp crash of something being smashed . 3/4 Chapter 13 Madam Hughes grabbed my hand , urging me , " Aubrey , go check on him . His blood pressure has been high lately , and I'm worried something might happen . " I nodded and rushed out . The moment I entered the living room , I saw Hayden and his father in a tense standoff . He was shielding Isabelle behind him , his brow deeply furrowed . " Dad , are you trying to kick Isabelle out ? " " If it weren't for Aubrey , I never would have let her step foot in this house ! " " Forget it . I never should have listened to Aubrey and brought Isabelle here for dinner in the first place . " With that , Hayden snatched his car keys and started pulling Isabelle toward the door . " You stop right there ! " Mr. Hughes slammed his hand on the table and shot to his feet . " Hayden , what the hell do you think you're doing ?! " " Dad , that's what I should be asking you ! Isabelle is your future daughter - in - law ! It's her first time here , and first you make her cry over some stupid vase , now you're blaming her for an honest mistake . You just want to chase her out , don't you ? All she ever did was love me ! What did she do wrong ? Why does she have to put up with this ? " " I will never accept her as my daughter - in - law ! There's only one person I'll ever recognize as the daughter - in - law of this family ! " " Fine , " Hayden said , a storm brewing in his eyes . " If you accept Isabelle , you gain a daughter - in - law . If you don't , that's fine too . From now on , you can just pretend you don't have a son ! " Hayden stormed out the front door , pulling Isabelle along without a single look back . " You get back here ! " Hayden acted as if he hadn't heard a thing . Mr. Hughes went rigid with rage and collapsed , his eyes wide and his face flushed a deep red .