Chapter 926: Chapter 926 Learning to Refuse (16)_1

Madeleine was about to call Andrew Henris back when her phone screen lit up with an incoming call from him. Her fingers twitched as she answered.

Before Madeleine could speak, Andrew Henris’s voice came through–not in his usual gentle and refined tone, but with a hint of urgency, “Madeleine, where did you go?”

Even through the phone, Madeleine could feel Andrew Henris’s nervousness and worry. She paused, holding her phone, before apologetically responding, “I felt a bit unwell, so I left first.”

After a pause, Madeleine added, “I’m sorry, Andrew Henris, I forgot to tell you.”

Anyone could tell that Madeleine was lying. Andrew Henris remained silent on the other end of the line for quite some time before pretending to believe her, asking, “Where are you now? Are you feeling any better? Do you need to go to the hospital?”

“I’m fine, just need to rest for a while.”

“Then where are you now?”

Madeleine glanced at the traffic outside the taxi window and continued to lie, “I’m at home.”

The moment Madeleine finished speaking, the taxi driver in front honked the horn. The sound, crisp and clear, traveled through the phone she was holding and reached Andrew Henris’s ears.

The lie was bluntly exposed, and Madeleine felt a bit embarrassed, even though Andrew Henris couldn’t see her expression. She still lowered her eyelids with a bit of shame.

Andrew Henris on the other end of the phone was silent for a long time before finally saying, “Then get some good rest, goodbye.”

“Yeah, goodbye.”

After Madeleine spoke, she waited a while. There was no sound from the other end of the call, so she hesitated for a moment before hanging up the call, leaning against the back seat of the taxi, absent-mindedly staring out of the window.

The taxi driver had been driving her aimlessly for a long time, with the fare meter showing US$27.5. Even though this meant more money for himself, the taxi driver couldn’t help but ask, “Miss, where would you like to go?”

Madeleine’s gaze still lingered on the view outside the window. After a moment, she gave the address of her apartment.

–

After paying the fare and getting out of the taxi, just as she was about to shut the door, she heard someone call her name. She turned her head and saw the car she had lent to Andrew Henris parked at the curb, with hazards blinking. Andrew Henris had just stepped out, his hand still on the ajar door.

Madeleine paused for a second, then closed the taxi door and walked toward Andrew Henris, “Why did you come here?”

Andrew Henris didn’t say a word but just bent down into the car and then brought out two bags, “You haven’t eaten anything since noon, right? Carry this home, have something to eat, and then rest.”

Madeleine stared at the take-out bags Andrew Henris handed to her, her lips unconsciously pursing.

The expression of Andrew Henris remained calm and kind as he continued to extend the bags to Madeleine and then said, “Madeleine, no matter how hard it feels, don’t be too hard on yourself.”

A surge of emotion akin to being touched sprang up from the bottom of Madeleine’s heart. Andrew Henris, so incredibly clever, surely knew of her absentmindedness and negligent attitude throughout the day. He had come all the way from Oceania to celebrate her birthday. She should have dedicated herself to accompanying him on a proper tour of Ciawell, but instead, she had forgotten about his presence, left on her own, and even repeatedly lied to him.