My Husband Is An International Idol

Chapter 16: The Interview

The journalist’s name was Victor Reyes. And he had become obsessed.

Not with Chris St. Claire or any celebrities. Not even with scandals.

But he was currently obsessed with one question.

Who was the woman in the photo?

For weeks, that question had followed him everywhere.

At first, a mysterious woman rumored to be connected to Chris St. Claire. Then she disappeared behind the official explanation involving Grandmother Sterling.

Most reporters accepted the story. Victor didn’t. Because for him something felt wrong. Not suspicious. Just incomplete. Like a puzzle with one missing piece.

And Victor hated unfinished puzzles. Which was why he was currently sitting inside a small café in Sterling Village.

Across from him sat Mrs. Torres. The village’s undisputed queen of gossip.

Victor smiled politely.

Mrs. Torres smiled back.

"So," he began carefully, "you said you remembered something?"

Mrs. Torres nodded. "Oh yes."

Victor sat upright. Finally. Progress.

"What was it?"

The old woman lowered her voice dramatically.

Victor leaned forward.

"Several years ago..."

"Yes?"

"I saw Chris St. Claire."

Victor nearly dropped his pen.

"When?"

Mrs. Torres thought for a moment.

"Five years ago."

Victor froze.

Five years? That was before Chris became internationally famous. Before the current rumors. Before everything.

His heartbeat accelerated.

"Are you sure?"

"Oh yes."

Victor’s eyes widened.

"Where?"

Mrs. Torres smiled proudly.

"At the village festival."

Victor immediately began writing. This was huge. Potentially enormous.

"What was he doing?"

Mrs. Torres answered confidently. "He was eating barbecue."

Victor stopped writing. "...What?"

"He bought three skewers."

Silence. Several painful seconds passed. Victor stared.

Mrs. Torres stared back. "That’s it?"

"Yes."

"That’s the important information?"

"Of course."

Victor wanted to cry.

Meanwhile, a hundred of kilometers away, Chris was suffering.

Specifically, he was suffering through interviews. One interview after another.

Pulse concert was approaching rapidly which meant promotions had intensified.

Today alone he had already answered the same questions seventeen times.

His favorite food, favorite song, future plans. His ideal type. Chris was beginning to suspect journalists shared a single brain cell.

The latest interviewer smiled brightly.

"So, Chris."

Chris immediately sensed danger.

"Yes?"

"We have a fun question."

Danger confirmed.

"What question?"

The interviewer grinned.

"If you could date anyone in the entertainment industry, who would it be?"

Chris stared. There was silence.

Because there was only one correct answer. And he couldn’t give it.

Not publicly. Not yet.

Chris smiled professionally.

"The entertainment industry is filled with talented people."

The interviewer blinked.

"That’s not an answer."

"It is now."

His manager nearly laughed.

Later that evening, Chris finally escaped, and returned to his apartment exhausted.

His phone immediately rang. He didn’t even need to check. There was only one person who called at exactly this time.

Chris answered.

"Hello."

On the other side, Liliana smiled.

"You sound tired."

"I am tired."

"Long day?"

"Very."

She could practically hear him collapsing onto the couch.

For several moments, neither spoke. Just listening and enjoying the familiar comfort.

Then Liliana laughed suddenly.

Chris frowned.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"Liliana."

"Nothing."

Chris narrowed his eyes despite the fact she couldn’t see him.

"Liliana."

She laughed again.

"Emily showed me one of your interviews."

His soul immediately left his body.

"Oh no."

"Oh yes."

"Which interview?"

"The dating question."

Chris covered his face. The embarrassment was immediate.

Liliana continued.

"’The entertainment industry is filled with talented people.’"

Chris groaned.

"It was a trap."

"It absolutely was."

"It was."

She laughed.

Chris listened quietly.

The sound eased some of the exhaustion weighing on him. A little. Not enough.

But enough.

"So, an honest answer. If you could date anyone in the entertainment industry, who would it be?" Liliana asked.

For a moment, Chris didn’t answer. It’s not that he couldn’t, but there was only one obvious answer.

"You."

Liliana froze. But eventually chuckled.

"I’m not in the entertainment industry."

"Well, you were."

Liliana froze again.

"The question didn’t say if the person should be active, right?"

She chuckled. Again. "You’re right."

Back in Sterling Village, the following morning began peacefully.

But not until Emily arrived. Again, without knocking.

At this point, even Grandmother had stopped reacting.

Emily stormed into the kitchen carrying a newspaper.

"LILIANA."

Liliana looked up from preparing breakfast.

"No."

"I haven’t even said anything."

"No."

Emily looked offended.

Then sat down anyway.

"I have important information."

Liliana sighed.

"What now?"

Emily unfolded the newspaper dramatically.

A photograph filled the front page. It was Chris. Again.

Another interview. Another article. Another headline.

Emily pointed.

"Your husband is everywhere."

Liliana glanced at the photograph. Then continued chopping vegetables.

"That’s literally his job."

"Fair."

Emily accepted this. Then immediately changed topics.

"Do you think he misses you?"

The knife stopped moving. Only briefly.

Then continued.

Liliana answered calmly. "Yes."

Emily blinked, observing her.

No hesitation. No uncertainty.

"How do you know?"

Liliana smiled slightly. "He calls."

Emily stared.

"That’s it? That’s also his job as your husband."

"He hates phone calls. He never calls his parents."

Emily considered this because it made a lot of sense.

Meanwhile, Victor Reyes had finally found something useful.

A photograph. An old one. Around five years old.

The image had been taken during the village festival.

The quality was terrible. And the resolution was worse. But the faces were visible.

Victor stared at the image. Then stared again. His pulse accelerated.

Because standing beside Chris, was a woman. Not accidentally. Not in the background. Not coincidentally.

Beside him, laughing comfortably was the same woman in the other photo. The woman with green eyes behind her thick glasses and brown hair tied in pigtails. The two were so familiar and close with each other. In fact, too close.

Victor sat back slowly.

For the first time in weeks, real excitement appeared. This wasn’t proof. Not yet.

But it was something.

A thread. A clue. A beginning.

Then his phone rang.

Victor answered immediately. "Hello?"

The voice on the other end spoke quietly. Carefully. Nervously.

"I heard you’re investigating Chris St. Claire."

Victor straightened. "Who’s asking?"

A brief pause followed.

Then the stranger answered. "Someone who knows why he keeps visiting Sterling Village."

Victor’s heart nearly stopped. Finally, a real lead.

"Who are you?"

The stranger hesitated. Then replied. "Meet me tomorrow."

The call ended.

Victor stared at the phone. His pulse thundered in his ears.

After weeks of dead ends. Weeks of rumors. Weeks of frustration. Tomorrow he might finally learn the truth.

And far away in Sterling Village, Liliana stood in her garden watering flowers.

Completely unaware that someone was already pulling on the thread of her carefully hidden life.

A thread that was becoming dangerously close to unraveling.