Avery's gaze made Henry's heart flutter. However, Henry tried his best to control himself, not wanting Avery to notice anything.
"That's not what I meant, Avery," Henry explained. "Aren't you supposed to be at work right now? If it wasn't something urgent, you wouldn't have called me several times and even left me a message."
Avery smiled sweetly, "When it's just the two of us, can you stop calling me 'Avery' all the time? It sounds distant and formal."
Henry smiled slightly, "Big sister."
"Have a seat, little brother," Avery glanced at the sofa. "Standing guests can't be kept. Do you have other things to do?"
Henry shook his head, "No. I was just noticing how spacious your office is, with windows on both sides offering views of two streets."
As he spoke, Henry walked to the window.
Avery followed and stood beside Henry, saying, "Yes, when I have nothing to do or need to think, I like to look at the street view. If I come in early in the morning, sometimes I even dance in the office."
Henry was startled and sized her up. Avery was 1.6 meters tall, with a slim figure. Compared to the voluptuous and sexy Emily, she was petite, but in most people's eyes, her figure was tall and elegant. She used to be a dancer in the Harbor Springs City Song and Dance Troupe, with an outstanding figure and temperament. Today, with her hair up, Avery looked slightly more mature than when she had her hair down on the pedestrian street. However, her fair neck always sparked imagination.
Henry wondered if it was a pity for someone with such a good figure to be dancing square dances in the office.
Avery noticed Henry's thoughts and laughed, "I am a professional dancer. Back in the Harbor Springs Song and Dance Troupe, I was the lead dancer."
As she spoke, Avery struck a pose, lifting her shoulders, pushing out her chest, and pulling in her stomach while tilting her head for a dramatic effect. She then spun 180 degrees, quickly flipping her head 360 degrees, her movements sharp and professional. She followed with a slide and a split jump, landing seamlessly, then kicked her leg high, the tip of her foot reaching far above her head.
Henry realized that Avery had mentioned dancing in the office to lead the conversation here, showcasing her talent in front of him. Whether as a leader or an elder, Avery had no reason to display her past skills to Henry unless she wanted to impress or confuse him. This proactive approach would easily bridge the gap between them, making Henry feel that their age difference wasn't significant.
If Henry hadn't known about Erick's extortion of Jason for 1 million, he wouldn't have understood Avery's intentions. Now he knew that everything Avery did was for that 1 million.
To be honest, Avery's professional dance moves truly amazed Henry. Although not many people are passionate about dance, even Henry, who never watched dance shows on TV or his phone, was captivated by Avery's performance. The beauty of her movements left Henry in awe.
"Beautiful, truly beautiful!"
This was both a heartfelt admiration from Henry and a deliberate message: If you want to enchant me and close the gap between us, then fine, I'm enchanted!
Seeing Henry's amazed expression, Avery playfully tilted her head and asked, "Are you saying the dance is beautiful or that I am beautiful?"
For a woman her age to act so coyly in front of Henry might seem repulsive if it were any other woman. But Avery, with her exceptional looks and temperament, acting cute and innocent, deeply moved Henry.
Henry's admiration was partly an act but mostly genuine. "The dance is beautiful, and you are even more beautiful!"
They say women love bad boys. Some women, no matter how beautiful and elegant, secretly enjoy the attention from catcalls or whistles, even from greasy uncles or rowdy youths. It reassures them of their attractiveness.
But Avery was different. Coming from an artistic background, she had seen too much flattery and had even resisted advances and inappropriate offers. She could have married a wealthy man or an official but chose a scholar, Jason. She didn't expect Jason to change from a scholar to an administrator, altering his work environment, position, and even his character.
Avery remained true to herself, preferring Henry's simplicity and innocence. She liked to take the initiative in pursuing what she wanted, rejecting others' advances. She had pursued Jason back then, and seeing a more innocent version of Jason in Henry, she couldn't help but want to take the initiative again. She didn't want to be the prey but the hunter.
However, she didn't realize that Henry was also a hunter, merely pretending to be prey.
"Really?" Avery walked up to Henry, close enough to feel each other's breath, and asked with a sweet smile, "So, who do you think is prettier, me or your sister-in-law?"
Henry blurted out, "You can't compare the two!"
Avery was taken aback. She had expected Henry to say she was prettier than Emily, not that they couldn't be compared. Did he mean that she and Emily weren't on the same level?
"Do you think your sister-in-law is a fairy and I'm just an ordinary village woman?" Avery asked.
Henry quickly explained, "No. My sister-in-law is family, and my feelings for her are purely familial. You're different."
Avery finally understood Henry's meaning and deliberately asked, "How am I different?"
Henry said, "You are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen!"
After saying that, he swallowed hard and looked embarrassed, avoiding Avery's gaze.