Chapter 921: Chapter 921 Learning to Refuse (11)_1

Andrew Henris stood in place, staring at Madeleine’s figure for a while before he finally took long strides and quickly caught up with her.

When Andrew Henris saw Madeleine this morning, he noticed something was off with her. Several times while chatting with him, she’d stop mid-sentence for no apparent reason and stare blankly at something. When he’d remind her, she’d snap back to reality like a robot that had been switched on, and continue their random chatter. But soon enough, she’d drift off again.

Anyone could tell that Madeleine, behaving like this, was troubled with something on her mind.

It wasn’t until he saw her agonizing over an incoming call just now that he became even more certain she was distressed about something.

As Andrew Henris climbed, he glanced at the sweat-drenched Madeleine. Her movements up the Great Wall seemed brisk and efficient, but Andrew Henris could tell that all her actions were stiff, as if she were merely going through the motions. They had passed three beacon towers continuously without a break. Even though Madeleine’s breathing had become unsteady due to exhaustion and even Andrew Henris, who loved sports and worked out every week, was starting to feel the strain, Madeleine showed no signs of wanting to stop, as if she couldn’t feel the tiredness at all.

However, her physical strength was, after all, finite, and in her oblivious climbing, there came a point when she couldn’t even lift her foot high enough to step onto the next stair.

Madeleine tried to lift her foot several times in a mechanical manner, each time her toes kicking against the stone steps. Watching Madeleine from the side, Andrew Henris couldn’t hold back anymore. He reached out, grabbed Madeleine’s arm, and said, “Let’s rest a bit before we climb again.”

Upon hearing his words, Madeleine uttered an “Oh,” and then just stood there, foolishly motionless.

Looking at Madeleine like this, a pang of pain suddenly surged in Andrew Henris’s heart. He moved his lips but eventually didn’t ask her about the call. Instead, he took out a handkerchief from his pocket, placed it on the step, pulled Madeleine over, and made her sit down to rest.

The moment Madeleine received the call from Howard Coleman, her mind became even more chaotic. All she could think about was why Howard Coleman had called, so she was completely unaware of what Andrew Henris was orchestrating until a cool object touched her cheek. She shuddered violently, came to her senses, and then saw an open bottle of mineral water being offered to her.

Madeleine looked up at Andrew Henris. The man smiled at her and said, “Have some water.”

“Thank you,” Madeleine replied, took a sip, and then her mind wandered off again.

Andrew Henris didn’t disturb Madeleine anymore, just stood there quietly, keeping her company.

After an unknowable amount of time, the grip on the water bottle in Madeleine’s hand loosened, and it fell from her grasp. The bottle was uncapped, and water spilled all over. It was then that Madeleine jolted awake, stood up, and, completely forgetting that she was supposed to be climbing to the Monument of Heroes with Andrew Henris, started to walk back down the way they came.

Andrew Henris silently watched Madeleine’s retreating figure for a while, didn’t remind her she was going in the wrong direction, merely bent down to pick up the mineral water bottle she dropped, and, without any hesitation, followed her back the way they had come.