Chapter 119


    Madison held him and did not say anything, only her grip tightened as if she tried to drag him down with


    her.


    The thunder outside the window quietened, but the rain poured heavier and heavier, hitting down on


    the eaves.


    Leo looked down at Madison beside him and pursed his thin lips tightly. He finally could not bear to look


    at those scars and reached out his hand to try to pull her clothes up.


    The moment his warm fingers fell on her shoulder, Madison, who was lying on the bed, suddenly


    opened her eyes and sat up.


    “What are you doing?” She stared at him.


    Leo’s hand was still in midair when Madison’s gaze caught himpletely off-guard. He didn’t know


    whether to retrieve his hand or not.


    After a moment, he withdrew his hand and looked away. “You’re not dressed well. Please tidy up your


    clothes.”


    Madison stood up abruptly. The white shirt slid down her shoulders, and her pale body loomed in the


    darkness, making it ufortable to gaze at for too long.


    She seemed to be a little puzzled, lowered her head dully, and then raised her eyebrows slowly as if


    she could not understand his words. She did not move at all.


    Leo realized something was wrong with her.


    “Madison?” Leo raised his hand and waved it in front of her.


    There was another sh of lightning outside.


    In the light, Madison blinked. Her exceptionally clear eyes fixed on him, devoid of any


    emotion.


    It was as if her soul had been stripped away, leaving only a shell.


    Leo pursed his lips and was no longer in the mood to look at the originally alluring scene. He silently


    tidied her clothes, fastening the undone buttons.


    Madison was obedient. She quietly knelt in front of him and allowed him to serve her.


    When the top button was about to be fastened, her soft voice finally spilled the words.


    “I don’t want this. It’s ufortable.”


    She moved her neck to avoid Leo’s action. The expression on her face, with furrowed brows,


    resembled that of a child who hadn’t yet grasped the situation.


    Leo raised his hand, feeling the impulse to pat her head, but ultimately restrained himself.


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    He looked at her silently for a while and asked, “Madison… how old are you now?”


    In psychological psychoanalysis, instances have been documented where individuals, under extreme


    fear or specific circumstances, temporarily experience partial memory loss as a self-protective


    mechanism, allowing them to enter an altered state.


    Leo did not know what she had experienced to be like this, but he was certain that what she had


    suffered in the past was more cruel and terrifying than anything he could imagine.


    Another p of thunder exploded outside, scaring the woman in front of him.


    Madison trembled, ncing around as if searching for something to hide under. Her eyes betrayed a


    hint of confusion, and all she could do was tightly hug her legs.


    The summer rain fell urgently, seemingly pounding on Leo’s heart, causing a momentary ache.


    He bent down and picked up the thin nket, trying to cover her. However, just as he approached,


    Madison suddenly hugged her head and whimpered like a baby animal.


    “Don’t hit me. I can give you money. All of it. All of it…”


    She first spoke in English, then quickly spoke in anothernguage.


    Leo froze in mid-air.


    His throat tightened, and each word emerged with an almost painstaking effort. “I will not hit you. Don’t


    be afraid, okay?”


    Madison lifted her head slightly from between her arms, fear filling her pitch-ck eyes. “Really… you


    won’t hit me?”


    She probed carefully.


    Leo hummed in a h oar se voice and pulled the nket up. “No one will bully you anymore. Don’t be


    afraid. You’re safe now.”


    He patiently coaxed her. “If you don’t believe me, look around. Is it your room? There are no bad


    people.”


    Madison followed his words and looked around. She slowly let her guard down but still


    did notpletely rx.


    Butpared to before, she was now in much better shape.


    “My room.” She repeated emotionlessly, slipping under the covers.


    Leo rxed a little and agreed with her. “Yes, it is your room. There will be no bad guysing in, and


    there will be no one to hit you. Go to sleep, okay?”


    The rain outside lessened, and there was no more rapid hammering. Just the asionalrge


    raindrops that fell and hit the eaves.


    Madison did not sleep. She looked at Leo with her clear eyes. “Were you the one who chased the bad


    guys away?”


    Without waiting for Leo to respond, she suddenly reached out her hand to grab him. Her watery deer-


    like eyes look at him expectantly.


    “I’m still so scared. Can you sleep with me? I’m afraid to sleep alone.”


    Leo frowned and looked hesitant.


    Madison had already made space for him on the bed. She said pitifully, “I’m not nestled up to you,


    okay? As long as you’re beside me, it’s fine.”


    Leo lowered his eyes to meet hers. After a moment, he heard a low sounding from his chest.


    “Okay.”


    A smile bloomed on Madison’s beautiful face. She immediatelyy down and even took a pillow and


    ced it between them. She vowed, “Don’t worry. I won’t touch you.”


    It was as if she was afraid that she would take advantage of Leo.


    Most of the gloominess in Leo’s eyes had disappeared. He could not help but smile. Then, he took a


    pillow andid down beside her.


    Perhaps because she was no longer afraid, Madison quickly closed her eyes and fell asleep holding


    the pillow she had taken from the sofa.


    Leo nced sideways at her under the dim light outside the house.


    His gaze fell on the small scar on her forehead, which made his heart sink. He thought it would be the


    only scar on her body, but it turned out to be the smallest one.


    He retracted his gaze and watched the ceiling, emptying his mind. He listened to the sound of the rain


    outside. He was not sleepy at all.


    He did not know how long it had been. When he finally felt sleepy, a head of hair


    suddenly wiggled into his arms, carrying a soft fragrance.


    Leo frowned and subconsciously raised his hand. However, he thought of something and put it down.


    That slight drowsinesspletely dissipated.


    Madison’s arms were wrapped around him tightly as if he were arge doll. Her soft limbs were


    wrapped around him, and her head was resting on afortable spot.


    45


    Leo was no saint, and the area where Madison was pressed against felt like it was on fire, making him


    unable to resist the urge to lift the nket.


    He pursed his lips and carefully tried to pull her away.


    There was a low rumble of thunder. The woman in his arms shuddered again, and her arms tightened


    even further.


    Leo stopped moving.


    And just like that, he listened to the rain for the entire night, not thinking about anything. He finally fell


    asleep just before dawn.


    Madison had a good night’s sleep.


    When she woke up the next day, the sky had already cleared up. Only the rainwater from the trees and


    branches gathered and fell, making a sound when it hit the eaves.


    It was quite calming.


    Madison listened to this sound seven to eight times before she opened her eyes in satisfaction.


    Then, she let out a sharp scream as she kicked away the man she had hugged the entire night!