My Husband Is An International Idol

Chapter 62: The Man Who Looked Familiar

Lunch ended with plenty of laughter, but Nathan couldn’t stop thinking about Chris’s confession. The man had been married for five years. He loved his wife. His wife loved him. Yet somehow, neither of them had ever actually confessed their feelings.

The more Nathan thought about it, the more unbelievable it seemed.

As they walked toward the parking area, Nathan finally broke the silence.

"So..."

Chris glanced at him.

"So?"

Nathan scratched the back of his head.

"Do you really have a plan?"

Chris frowned.

"For what?"

"To confess."

The other members immediately looked over, their curiosity returning as quickly as it had disappeared.

Chris remained quiet for much longer than anyone expected. His gaze drifted toward the distant St. Claire Entertainment building before a small smile slowly formed on his lips.

"I might. And as I said, soon."

River’s eyes lit up.

"Really?"

Chris nodded.

"I think..."

He looked toward the skyline.

"...it’s about time."

Leo smiled with satisfaction.

"Finally."

Aaron nodded in agreement.

"You’ve already waited long enough."

Nathan quietly smiled to himself. More than anything, he wanted to tell Chris the truth—that Liliana had loved him for years, that she secretly counted the days until he returned from overseas tours, that she never missed a Pulse concert no matter where in the world they performed, and that she still treasured every small souvenir Chris had ever given her.

Although Nathan didn’t know Chris was Liliana’s husband before, he knew all of it. But it wasn’t his story to tell. Chris deserved to hear those words directly from Liliana, and Liliana deserved the chance to say them herself.

"I hope it goes well."

Chris smiled back.

"So do I."

That afternoon, Chris returned to St. Claire Entertainment exactly as promised. Robin had long since stopped questioning why one of the biggest international idols in the country had willingly become someone’s personal chauffeur.

At this point, it looked less like a temporary arrangement and more like a permanent career change.

Chris parked outside the modeling department, where one of the bodyguards immediately approached his vehicle.

"Miss Sterling is still inside."

Chris nodded.

"I’ll get her."

He entered the building, greeting employees as they respectfully bowed in passing. Several trainees whispered excitedly the moment they recognized him, but after the previous day’s headlines, seeing Chris in the modeling department had become surprisingly normal.

As he turned the corner leading toward the main training hall...

He stopped completely. Not because of the room but because of the person standing inside it.

Liliana was smiling as she chatted comfortably with a man Chris had never seen before.

The stranger stood around six feet tall with broad shoulders, blond hair, and a well-built physique. He was dressed in fashionable casual clothes that looked remarkably similar to Chris’s signature airport style, and when he shifted slightly, Chris noticed the blue contact lenses.

For one unsettling second, it felt like he was looking at a cheaper version of himself.

Chris frowned.

Something about it felt... Deliberate.

One of the instructors noticed him first.

"Oh, Chris."

Liliana immediately turned around.

Her entire face brightened. "Chris!"

She waved cheerfully, completely unaware that the temperature in the hallway seemed to drop the moment he arrived.

The blond man turned as well before politely extending his hand.

"Hello. I’m Carl De Vera."

Chris looked at the offered hand.

Then at Carl.

Then back at the hand.

Several awkward seconds passed before he finally accepted the handshake. Briefly.

"Liliana was helping me," Carl explained with an easy smile. "I’m new here."

Liliana nodded.

"He just transferred this week."

Chris’s eyes remained fixed on Carl.

Transferred? Convenient timing.

Sensing the growing tension, the instructor quickly stepped in.

"This is Carl De Vera. He recently signed with the company as one of our model trainees, and we’re expecting him to become one of our strongest male models."

Chris gave a small nod but continued studying the newcomer. The resemblance bothered him—not because Carl naturally looked like him, but because it didn’t feel natural at all. The hairstyle, the clothes, the physique, even the blue eyes... it all felt carefully assembled.

Carl smiled awkwardly.

"I’ve admired your fashion style for years."

Chris finally understood.

"You copied it."

The hallway instantly fell silent.

Carl rubbed the back of his neck with an embarrassed laugh.

"I wouldn’t say copied."

"Inspired."

At that exact moment, River and Aaron arrived with Nathan from the opposite hallway, only to witness the awkward exchange unfold before them.

River slowly leaned toward Aaron.

"...He’s jealous."

Aaron nodded without hesitation.

"Very."

A few seconds later, Leo stepped out of the elevator carrying a bottle of water. He looked around once, immediately sensing the unusual atmosphere.

"What happened?"

River lowered his voice dramatically.

"Chris found his clone."

Leo blinked.

"What?"

He looked at Carl. Then at Chris. Then back at Carl again.

His eyes widened.

"...Why does he look like Discount Chris?"

River burst into uncontrollable laughter.

Aaron covered his face.

Several nearby staff members quickly turned away, pretending not to laugh.

Even Carl couldn’t help looking awkward.

"I really didn’t mean to make anyone uncomfortable."

Liliana immediately tried to smooth things over.

"Chris, Carl was just asking about today’s training schedule."

Chris finally looked at her. The moment their eyes met, his expression softened almost instantly.

Then he looked back at Carl. The warmth disappeared. The contrast was so obvious that everyone noticed.

Especially Leo.

"...He’s definitely jealous," he whispered.

Aaron nodded.

"I’ve never seen him like this before."

Without thinking, Chris walked over until he was standing beside Liliana—just a little closer than necessary. It wasn’t enough to draw attention under normal circumstances, but today, everyone noticed.

Carl instinctively took a small step backward, as though realizing he had wandered into someone else’s territory.

"Ready to go home?" Chris asked gently.

Liliana smiled.

"Just let me get my bag."

"I’ll wait."

As Liliana disappeared into the locker room, Chris stayed exactly where she had left him. He didn’t say anything. He simply watched the hallway in complete silence.

Carl politely excused himself and returned to training, but before entering the studio, he glanced back toward Liliana one last time.

Chris noticed.

So did everyone else.

One trainee quietly whispered to her friend.

"...I think Mr. De Vera accidentally unlocked Chris’s possessive side."

Her friend nodded.

"I don’t think it was accidental."

From the second-floor balcony overlooking the training hall, Sarah Clifford happened to witness the entire exchange while walking with Matthew. She watched Chris. Then Carl. Then Liliana.

Her sharp eyes narrowed slightly. Not because Chris looked jealous. But because something about Carl De Vera bothered her.

His resemblance to Chris didn’t feel like coincidence.

It felt...

Far too deliberate.