My Husband Is An International Idol

Chapter 71: A Secret That Could No Longer Be Hidden

His eyes were bloodshot from hours without sleep. His neatly styled hair had long since fallen out of place, and dark shadows rested beneath his eyes. His face, usually so calm and composed, was filled with exhaustion, relief, and lingering fear.

For the first time, she realized how deeply her collapse had affected him.

Tears welled in her eyes.

"I’m sorry..."

Chris didn’t answer immediately.

Instead, he tightened his grip on her hand and pressed it gently against his forehead, closing his eyes for a brief moment as though silently thanking heaven that she was still alive.

When he finally looked back at her, his voice was soft and filled with emotion.

"I’m just glad you’re awake."

Once the doctor confirmed that Liliana’s condition was stable, the tension hanging over the hospital room eased ever so slightly. One by one, the people who had been anxiously waiting outside quietly entered, their relief evident in their tired eyes.

The room, which had felt unbearably empty moments earlier, was suddenly filled with familiar faces, yet no one smiled. They had all come frighteningly close to losing someone precious.

Emily was the first to reach the bedside. Without saying a word, she wrapped her arms tightly around Liliana, holding her as though afraid she might disappear again. When she finally pulled away, her eyes were already glistening with tears.

"You scared me to death," Emily

whispered, forcing a smile through her trembling lips.

Nicole could no longer hold back her emotions. Tears streamed freely down her cheeks as she hurried forward and hugged Liliana next, followed closely by Rose, whose gentle embrace spoke louder than any words.

Even Nathan, who always tried to lighten every situation with humor, could only let out a long, relieved sigh.

"You scared all of us," he said, shaking his head as he tried to hide how shaken he really was.

Liliana looked around the room at the worried faces surrounding her. Guilt tightened around her heart as she realized how much pain her collapse had caused everyone.

Lowering her eyes, she offered them a small, apologetic smile.

"I’m sorry."

The room fell silent again.

Matthew stepped forward, his expression gentle yet unmistakably serious. The concern of a chairman had long disappeared from his face.

At that moment, he looked only like a father desperately trying to protect his daughter.

"Liliana."

She looked up.

"I need you to tell us exactly what happened."

The warmth in the room seemed to disappear.

Everyone instinctively turned toward Liliana.

Even Chris tightened his hold on her hand.

Liliana slowly nodded before taking a deep, unsteady breath. Closing her eyes for a brief moment, she forced herself to relive the encounter she wished she could forget.

"Carl approached me after Nicolo left."

Her voice was soft, but every word echoed clearly inside the silent room.

"He called me ’Lily.’"

A faint frown appeared on Emily’s face.

Liliana continued.

"I told him I preferred that he call me Miss Walker."

She swallowed hard.

"He smiled... but it wasn’t the smile he usually wears."

Her fingers unconsciously tightened around the hospital blanket.

"It felt... wrong."

She lowered her eyes.

"He told me I had become more beautiful."

The room remained silent.

Chris’s jaw tightened.

"He kept walking closer."

Liliana’s breathing gradually became uneven as the memory returned.

"I couldn’t explain it... but I felt scared."

Her voice trembled. "It was as though he enjoyed watching me become uncomfortable."

No one interrupted her.bNo one even moved.

Then her face slowly lost what little color it had regained.

"He looked straight at me and said..." Her voice became barely audible. "’I know what you’re hiding.’"

The temperature inside the room seemed to drop. Chris’s fingers slowly curled into a fist.

Robin lowered his gaze. Victor and Sarah exchanged a brief glance.

Liliana took another shaky breath before continuing.

"Then he said..." Her voice cracked. "’Everyone will eventually find out.’"

She slowly turned toward Chris, tears beginning to gather in her eyes.

"He said...The idol and the model..." Another painful pause followed. "’A former housewife...’"

She struggled to finish the sentence.

"’...for five years.’"

There was absolute silence. No one needed to ask another question.

Carl knew. Perhaps not every detail. But he knew enough to threaten them. Enough to destroy everything they had spent five years protecting.

The weight of that realization settled heavily over the room.

No one spoke for what felt like an eternity.

Finally, Nathan broke the silence.

"No."

Everyone turned toward him.

His expression was unusually serious when he first looked at Chris. Then at Liliana.

"No more."

Emily slowly nodded in agreement. "I agree."

Rose hesitated before quietly speaking. "Keeping your marriage a secret..." She looked at Liliana with concern. "...is becoming dangerous."

Nicole wiped away the tears that refused to stop falling. "Carl almost used it against Lily today."

Mary folded her arms, her usually composed expression turning thoughtful. "If someone can threaten you with your own marriage..." She paused before finishing quietly. "Then the secret itself has become a weapon."

Nicolo stepped closer to Chris’s bedside.

He looked at Chris. Then at Liliana. When he finally spoke, his voice remained calm, but there was unmistakable conviction behind every word.

"You should tell the public."

Chris lowered his eyes without answering.

Nathan continued gently. "You protected that secret for five years and it protected your career."

Emily slowly shook her head. "But now..." Her voice softened. "...it’s protecting no one."

The room became painfully quiet once again. Even the members of Pulse remained silent.

Leo stared thoughtfully at the floor. River lowered his head, unable to argue. Aaron quietly watched Chris, knowing the decision before him was one that would change all of their lives forever.

Matthew slowly closed his eyes. Deep inside, he already knew they were right.

The greatest secret they had spent five long years protecting had slowly become their greatest weakness.

And somewhere beyond the walls of the hospital, someone already knew enough to destroy everything they loved.

Unless, Chris and Liliana chose to reveal the truth before someone else did.