Chapter 72 Pure-hearted Henry

Chapter 72 Pure-hearted Henry

Amelia's cheeks burned even hotter, but she still nodded honestly, her voice barely a whisper. "I'm scared. I never thought... you'd be like this. If I'd known earlier, I wouldn't have..."

"Wouldn't have what?" Henry pressed, leaning closer, their breaths mingling in the small space between them. "Wouldn't have agreed to marry me? Or wouldn't have agreed to work with me?"

Amelia turned her face away, unable to meet his eyes. It was all too sudden, and she hadn't quite processed it yet. After a pause, she continued, "A playboy suddenly tells me he's actually very innocent. Who could accept that?"

"Innocent?" Henry chuckled, the sound vibrating through his chest. "That's a new one for me. But you're right, I am quite innocent."

He paused, his tone becoming serious. "Amelia, I know you might not believe me, and you think I'm lying to you. But I swear, every word I've said is true. Those rumors were just tactics to deal with the Phillips family. I've never truly liked Lily, nor have I had any relationships with any actresses beyond work."

Seeing the sincerity in his eyes, Amelia's doubts began to fade.

She knew Henry had no reason to deceive her. With his status and abilities, he didn't need to use such methods to gain her trust.

Moreover, if he were truly a playboy, he wouldn't have kept his distance after their marriage, nor would he have helped her whenever she faced trouble.

Taking a deep breath, she regained her usual composure. "I believe you. But why are you telling me this now? Why not earlier?"

"I couldn't find the right moment before," Henry said, leaning back on the couch with a relieved tone. "And I was afraid you wouldn't believe me, thinking I was making up lies to get you to cooperate. After today's incident with Lily, I realized there's no need to hide things anymore."

Amelia remained silent, listening quietly.

Henry looked at Amelia's calm profile, probing gently, "I've said so much, and you haven't objected to anything?"

Amelia picked up the empty bowl from the table, her tone indifferent. "It's your decision. Since you've said it, it means you've already considered it. I don't have much to say. Everyone has their own circumstances, and you must have your reasons for doing this."

She paused, then looked at him with a hint of teasing in her eyes. "Do you want me to praise you for being so strategic?"

Henry chuckled, leaning forward slightly, his tone serious. "So, you're not afraid of me? You don't think I'm manipulative, using people around me as pawns?"

Amelia put down the bowl, crossed her arms, and looked at him, her eyes clear. "Are you talking about yourself, or are you implying something about me?"

"You caught the subtext." Henry's eyes sparkled with amusement, his tone lightening.

"Well, I'm not Lon. If he heard this, he'd probably be scared and run away." Amelia laughed at her own words, surprised at how relaxed she felt around Henry, even joking.

Henry watched the smile in her eyes, chuckling softly. "Talking openly like this is nice. No need to be cautious. I like this real version of you."

Henry's straightforwardness made Amelia's cheeks flush. She quickly stood up and headed to the kitchen. "It's getting late. I'll clean up the dishes."

She knew their conversation was about done for the night. Any more, and they might drift into more intimate topics.

Henry grabbed her wrist, his tone playful. "Forget the dishes. Let the maid handle it tomorrow. It's late, how about we do something more... productive?"

Amelia's expression changed instantly. She shook off his hand forcefully, her tone cold. "Cleaning the kitchen is the fee for staying over. If you don't want to do it, you can leave now."

Without looking at Henry's reaction, she turned and closed the kitchen door, shutting him out.

Henry stood there, staring at the closed door, not angry but laughing softly.

Amelia's fiery reaction was much cuter than her usual calm demeanor.

He walked into the kitchen, picked up the dish soap and cloth, and started washing the dishes skillfully.

The sound of running water and clinking dishes added a warm touch to the quiet night.

After finishing the dishes, Henry dried his fingers with a towel and quietly walked to Amelia's room.

He placed his fingers on the doorknob, gently turning it, only to find it locked.

The cold touch of the door transmitted through his fingers, and he smiled wryly. Amelia was guarding against him as if he were a thief.

Inside, Amelia leaned against the door, replaying Henry's words in her mind. From "all the rumors were fake" to "you're my first woman," each sentence took her a long time to process.

She had always believed Henry was a playboy, but his sincere eyes tonight made her waver.

Her fingers unconsciously clutched her clothes. When her legs grew numb, she slowly walked to the bed and picked up her phone.

After hesitating for a while, she opened her chat with Olivia, her fingers tapping and deleting repeatedly, finally sending a vague message: [I have a friend who needs some advice.]

Olivia's reply was instant, as lively as ever.

[What friend? You only have me as a friend! Don't pretend, is it you who's in trouble?]

Amelia tightened her grip on the phone, deciding to be indirect.

[Just a regular friend. She had always thought a guy was a playboy, but he suddenly revealed to her that he's actually very loyal and has been pure. Should she believe him?]

[Don't believe him!] Olivia's message was full of strong emotion; even the punctuation seemed disdainful. [Men's words are all lies! Especially those who seem like playboys, they never tell the truth. The guy I recently dated said he only loved me, but then turned around and chatted with other girls. It's disgusting.]

Amelia looked at the screen, feeling a bit helpless. Olivia's love life had always been rocky, mostly encountering men who were only after novelty.

Just as she was about to find an excuse to end the conversation, Olivia's message popped up again.

[But it's not absolute! I've seen some celebrities who have tons of rumors but are actually very loyal to their partners, secretly married for years without anyone knowing, not even their assistants.]