My Husband Is An International Idol

Chapter 93: The Truth They Had Been Waiting For

The Prada campaign wrapped up just before sunset.

The production staff applauded as the photographer reviewed the final collection on the monitor.

"We’ve done dozens of campaigns," the creative director said with a satisfied smile. "I’ve never had to give so few directions."

The photographer laughed.

"Because they weren’t pretending."

Emily and Mary exchanged amused glances.

Only Chris and Liliana understood why every photograph had looked so effortless.

Their feelings were no longer hidden.

Even so...

They still hadn’t truly talked.

The words Liliana had whispered into Chris’s ear during the photoshoot echoed inside his mind.

"I love you, too."

He replayed them over and over again.

Were they part of the campaign? Or had she really meant them?

Before he could ask, the schedules pulled them apart again.

"Liliana." Mary approached with a folder in hand. "The Cartier team is already waiting."

Liliana nodded. "I’ll be there."

Chris instinctively reached out as though to stop her.

"Lily—"

She smiled apologetically. "I’ll talk to you later."

Before he could answer, she hurried toward the waiting vehicle.

Chris watched her leave. His heart felt lighter than it had in years...

Yet strangely more anxious.

The rest of the afternoon passed painfully slowly.

Chris returned to the rehearsal studio with Pulse.

The concert in Paris was only days away, and everyone had to be at their best. But Chris barely remembered the choreography.

Every break...

Every pause...

Every quiet moment...

His thoughts returned to Liliana.

Aaron finally sighed.."You’re smiling during rehearsals now."

Chris blinked. "Am I?"

Leo laughed. "You’ve smiled more today than you did in the last five years."

Robin shook his head. "Go."

Chris frowned. "What?"

"We’re done here."

Aaron grinned. "You’ve been looking at the clock every five minutes."

Leo crossed his arms. "If you don’t go talk to her now, you’ll regret it."

Chris didn’t argue and immediately left the studio.

Night had already settled over Paris. The hotel hallways were unusually quiet.

Chris stood outside Liliana’s suite. His heart pounded harder than it had before any concert.

He raised his hand. Then hesitated.

What if I misunderstood?

What if she only said those words because of the campaign?

He closed his eyes. Then he knocked.

Three soft knocks. A few moments later, the door opened.

Liliana stood there wearing comfortable clothes, her long brown hair loosely tied behind her.

She looked surprised.

"Chris?"

He smiled nervously.

"Can we talk?"

She stepped aside.

"Come in."

The suite was quiet.

Moonlight filtered through the balcony windows.

Neither of them sat down.

Chris rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly.

"I..."

He laughed softly.

"I’ve faced stadiums filled with fifty thousand people. But somehow... I’m more nervous standing here."

Liliana smiled. "What is it?"

Chris took a deep breath.

"During the Prada shoot..."

"When you whispered..."

His voice became almost uncertain.

"...was it true?"

For a moment, Liliana simply looked at him.

Then, without hesitation, she nodded.

"Yes."

Chris froze.

She stepped a little closer. "I meant every word."

Silence filled the room. A beautiful silence.

Liliana lowered her eyes.

"I wanted to tell you years ago. But... I was afraid."

Chris listened quietly.

"I always believed you married me because of your family’s promise. Because Uncle Matthew asked you to. And because you felt responsible for me after my parents died."

Her voice softened.

"I kept telling myself, if I confessed, it would only make things difficult for you. So I buried my feelings." She smiled sadly. "For five years."

Chris’s chest tightened.

"Lily..."

She shook her head gently.

"I thought our marriage would always be one of responsibility. I never imagined..."

Before she could finish, Chris crossed the remaining distance between them. He cupped her face gently in both hands.

She looked up in surprise.

"I can’t let you believe that anymore."

Then, he kissed her. It was not rushed. Not reckless. It was the kiss of two people who had spent years holding back words they desperately wanted to say.

Years of longing. Years of quiet affection. Years of believing they were trapped in a marriage without love.

Liliana slowly responded, her hands finding his as tears gathered in her eyes.

When they finally pulled apart, their foreheads rested together. Neither of them spoke for several moments.

Chris smiled through watery eyes.

"I’ve wanted to do that for a very long time."

Liliana laughed softly. "So have I."

Chris gently brushed away a tear from her cheek.

"Do you know when I fell in love with you?"

She shook her head.

He smiled at the memory. "It was years before our marriage. During your parents’ funeral."

Liliana’s eyes widened. "When I was four?"

Chris looked toward the window, remembering.

"Yes. Remember when everyone was looking for you? Then I found you sitting beneath the old staircase. You were hiding. You were trying so hard to be brave."

His voice became quieter.

"You didn’t cry. You didn’t complain. You just sat there by yourself. I remember thinking, no child should have to carry that much pain alone."

Liliana listened silently.

Chris smiled. "I sat beside you. You kept saying you were alright. But I knew you weren’t."

He gently squeezed her hand.

"So I told you, it’s alright to cry. You can cry on my shoulder.’"

His eyes softened.

"And the moment I said that, you finally cried. I held you until you fell asleep."

Chris chuckled quietly.

"That was the day I realized I wanted to protect you. Not because our families expected it. But because my heart had already chosen you."

Liliana’s tears fell freely now.

She smiled through them.

"You know, it happened to me that same day."

Chris blinked. "What?"

Liliana laughed softly.

"When I cried on your shoulder, I thought, this boy is so kind.’"

She looked directly into his blue eyes.

"And before I even understood what love was, I liked you."

Chris stared at her in complete disbelief.

"That day?"

She nodded. "That same day."

For a long moment, neither of them spoke. Then they both laughed.

They had spent five years believing the other had married out of duty.

When the truth was far simpler.

Long before promises and contracts...

A kind little boy had fallen in love with a lonely little girl beneath a staircase.

And a lonely little girl had quietly given her heart to him in return.

The love they had searched for throughout their marriage...

Had been waiting for them all along.