My Husband Is An International Idol

Chapter 57: The Room Amanda Prepared

The move to the St. Claire Mansion happened quietly. Several vehicles departed at different times while security teams coordinated every route with military precision. The decoy operation had already begun, ensuring that anyone watching the penthouse would believe its residents were still inside.

Meanwhile, the real occupants slipped unnoticed into the heavily guarded St. Claire estate.

The moment the Sterling cousins stepped out of the vehicles, the stalker was forgotten—at least for a while. The mansion was simply too overwhelming to ignore. The sprawling estate stretched across several acres, surrounded by immaculate gardens, elegant fountains, and discreetly stationed security personnel. It looked less like a family home and more like a seven-star luxury resort.

Nathan stared at the mansion, blinked, then stared again. "People actually live here?"

Emily slowly nodded, equally speechless. "I think we just walked onto a movie set."

Amanda welcomed everyone with her usual warmth, though her excitement was impossible to miss.

"Come on! Let’s assign the rooms."

The cousins eagerly followed her through the mansion’s endless hallways. Emily and Mary were given a spacious suite overlooking the gardens, while Nicole and Rose received another nearby. Nathan and Nicolo were assigned rooms on the opposite wing, and every member of Pulse received their own luxurious bedroom. By the end of the tour, only Chris and Liliana remained standing in the hallway.

Amanda’s smile slowly widened. It was the kind of smile that immediately made Chris nervous.

"This one is yours."

She pushed open a pair of grand double doors.

Chris and Liliana froze.

The bedroom looked like something straight out of a luxury magazine. A massive king-sized bed occupied the center, while floor-to-ceiling windows overlooked the beautifully lit gardens outside. A cozy sitting area surrounded a marble fireplace, fresh flowers decorated every corner, and a walk-in closet connected to an extravagant bathroom. Beyond the glass doors, a private balcony overlooked the entire estate.

Liliana looked around in amazement. "This is huge."

Amanda smiled proudly. "I designed it years ago."

Chris slowly turned toward his mother. "What?"

"I prepared it after your wedding."

Silence settled over the room.

Liliana’s cheeks immediately turned bright red while Chris covered his face with one hand.

"Mom."

"What?"

"Why?"

Amanda looked genuinely puzzled. "You were married."

She paused as though stating the most obvious fact in the world.

"I expected grandchildren."

The hallway fell into stunned silence.

Nathan, who had been passing by, nearly collapsed from laughing too hard. Then Emily appeared who let out a dramatic scream, then Nicole nearly choked on the candy she had been eating when she walked by them. Rose hid her face behind both hands, and even Aaron looked like he wanted to disappear.

Amanda, however, remained perfectly serious. "I still expect grandchildren."

"Mom!" Chris hysterically shouted.

The entire hallway erupted with laughter.

That evening, everyone gathered in the grand dining room for dinner. Despite the recent threats, the ongoing investigation, and the uncertainty hanging over them, the atmosphere felt surprisingly warm.

River and Nicole argued over the last slice of cake, Nathan complained about Robin’s brutal training sessions, Emily excitedly discussed costume ideas for Rhythm, Mary reviewed schedules while eating, and Robin looked permanently exhausted—as usual.

For a few precious hours, everyone forgot about the envelopes, the stalker, and the danger surrounding them. They laughed, teased one another, and enjoyed a peaceful meal together.

For the first time in days...

It felt like family.

Later that night, everyone retired to their assigned rooms. Chris entered the bedroom first with a notebook tucked under his arm, intending to spend the evening writing lyrics before getting some much-needed sleep. After everything that had happened, he welcomed the thought of a quiet, uneventful night.

Several minutes later, Liliana walked inside.

Chris looked up from his notebook and immediately frowned.

"Lily?"

She didn’t look sick or injured.

She simply looked... unusually restless.

Without saying a word, Liliana sat beside him, then quietly scooted even closer until their shoulders nearly touched.

Chris narrowed his eyes.

"You okay?"

"Yes."

A brief silence followed before she somehow moved even closer.

Chris blinked. "Lily."

"Hm?"

"You’re sitting on my notebook."

Liliana glanced down. "Oh."

She made absolutely no effort to move.

Chris stared at her. She stared back just as innocently.

Something was definitely wrong. Then a horrifying realization dawned on him.

"Wait..."

He slowly narrowed his eyes. "What did my mother give you during dinner?"

Liliana thought seriously for a moment. "A special juice."

Chris slowly closed his eyes.

Of course.

Of course his mother had done something suspicious.

Somewhere else inside the mansion, Amanda suddenly sneezed.

Back in the bedroom, Chris rubbed his forehead.

"Lily."

"Yes?"

"Let’s drink some water."

"What?"

"Lots of water."

Liliana looked thoroughly confused. qChris looked thoroughly exhausted.

Somehow...

His own mother had become more dangerous than the stalker.

The next hour was nothing short of torture.

Liliana talked nonstop about random things, insisted on sitting shoulder to shoulder with him, pouted whenever he tried to create even the smallest amount of distance, then immediately moved closer again.

Chris spent the entire evening desperately trying to remain respectful, which became nearly impossible once Liliana casually rested her head against his shoulder as though it were the most natural thing in the world.

"You’re comfortable."

Chris stared helplessly at the ceiling. "Thank you."

"Very comfortable."

"...Thank you."

"You smell nice."

Chris nearly dropped the glass of water in his hand.

Meanwhile, Liliana smiled with complete innocence. She wasn’t trying to make his life difficult.

Unfortunately... That didn’t make resisting any easier.

Finally admitting defeat, Chris closed his notebook and stood.

"We’re sleeping."

"Okay."

Her immediate agreement surprised him.

A few minutes later, they settled into the enormous bed, and the room finally became peaceful.

Chris had barely begun relaxing when Liliana quietly scooted closer once again, resting her head comfortably against his shoulder with complete trust, as though there was no safer place in the world.

Chris let out a quiet sigh before smiling to himself.

Despite Amanda’s outrageous matchmaking attempts, despite the endless teasing, and despite the chaos surrounding their lives, one thing remained certain.

Liliana felt safe beside him. And that mattered more than anything else.

Within minutes, her breathing steadied as she drifted into a peaceful sleep. Chris carefully pulled the blanket over her before glancing toward the bedroom door with quiet determination.

Tomorrow morning, he was definitely going to have a very serious conversation with Amanda.

Unfortunately...

He already knew his mother would probably ignore every single word.