My Husband Is An International Idol

Chapter 28: The Villa

The drive to the villa took nearly an hour.

Most of the Sterling cousins spent the trip talking excitedly about the concert while the members of Pulse tried to survive their endless questions.

When the gates finally opened, everyone fell silent.

"Whoa..."

Even Chris smiled at their reactions.

The villa was enormous.

Three stories tall, the modern structure overlooked the ocean from a private hillside. Floor-to-ceiling glass windows reflected the moonlight while warm golden lights illuminated the entire property.

The grounds alone looked larger than some resorts. Palm trees lined the pathways. Beautiful gardens surrounded the villa.

A private basketball court sat on one side. A small outdoor cinema occupied another.

But what immediately captured everyone’s attention was the massive swimming pool stretching across the back of the property.

The water glowed blue beneath underwater lights. A waterfall flowed from an artificial rock formation into the deeper section of the pool.

Beside it stood several cabanas, lounge chairs, and a large outdoor dining area. The ocean could be seen beyond the infinity edge.

It looked like a scene straight out of a luxury travel magazine.

No one moved. No one spoke. Then Emily screamed.

"WE’RE RICH FOR TWO DAYS!"

Everyone burst into laughter.

Robin immediately pinched the bridge of his nose.

"This is going to be a very long weekend."

Inside, the villa was even more impressive.

The main living room featured a ceiling nearly twenty feet high.

A massive crystal chandelier hung overhead. The furniture was elegant but comfortable. There was a game room, a private gym, a home theater, and more bedrooms than anyone could count.

The Sterling cousins spent the next fifteen minutes running around like excited children.

Meanwhile, Chris quietly slipped away.

And not surprisingly, Liliana followed.

The villa’s second-floor balcony overlooked the ocean. The sound of waves crashing below created a peaceful atmosphere.

For the first time that day, Chris felt like he could breathe.

Liliana stood beside him. "You look exhausted."

"I am."

"You should sleep."

Chris smiled. "Eventually."

The ocean breeze played with her hair.

For several moments neither spoke. Just being together felt enough.

"You really scared me earlier."

Chris’s smile faded. He knew exactly what she meant.

"The dressing room." Liliana looked at him. "Something happened."

Chris remained silent. He still wasn’t ready to tell her about the photographs.

Not until he knew who sent them. Not until he understood the threat.

"I’m handling it."

Liliana frowned. "That’s not an answer."

Chris laughed softly.

"No. It isn’t." Then he reached for her hand. "I’m sorry."

The concern in her eyes softened.

"You know I worry about you."

"I know."

He gently kissed her hand.

"Don’t worry. You trust me, right?"

She nodded. Then immediately turned red.

Even after five years of marriage, Chris could still make her blush.

The sight made him smile. One he rarely showed the public.

Downstairs, another friendship was developing rapidly.

River and Nicole sat together on the sofa.

Or rather, Nicole sat beside River while trying very hard not to explode from excitement.

"So what’s your favorite Pulse song?" River asked.

Nicole gasped. "You asked me a question."

River blinked. "Was I not supposed to?"

"You don’t understand. You’re River."

"Last time I checked."

Nicole dramatically grabbed her chest.

"I’m never washing this hand again if we shake hands."

River laughed so hard he nearly fell off the sofa.

From that point onward, the two became inseparable. They discovered they shared similar hobbies.

They both loved movies, video games and enjoyed collecting random cute things.

Within an hour, they were already exchanging social media accounts.

Meanwhile, Aaron surprised everyone.

Especially Rose.

Aaron was usually the quietest member of Pulse. Outside of performances, he rarely initiated conversations.

Yet somehow, he kept finding reasons to sit beside Rose.

"So, you’re the youngest?"

Rose looked up and nodded. "I’m nineteen."

Aaron nodded then asked another question. "Do you like photography?"

"Yes."

Aaron pointed toward the camera hanging around her neck.

"That’s a good model."

Rose stared.

Aaron knew cameras?

For the next hour, they discussed photography, travel destinations, and favorite landscapes.

To everyone’s surprise, Aaron talked a lot.

Rose discovered that behind his quiet image was someone surprisingly funny.

Aaron discovered that Rose wasn’t nearly as shy as she appeared.

Several times their laughter attracted attention. Each time, Aaron looked slightly embarrassed. Each time, Rose smiled.

And neither seemed interested in ending the conversation.

Elsewhere, Leo had somehow assembled his own little group.

Mary, Nathan, and Nicolo.

The four occupied the game room.

What began as casual conversation quickly turned into an intense debate about music, sports, and leadership.

"You’re the leader of Pulse, right?" Nathan asked.

Leo nodded.

"Unfortunately."

Everyone laughed.

Mary found herself staring at him. The leader she had admired for years was somehow even more charismatic in person.

Leo treated everyone equally. He listened. He encouraged conversations. He made people comfortable. No wonder Pulse trusted him and millions of fans loved him.

Several times Mary caught herself smiling. Then immediately looked away whenever Leo glanced at her.

Unfortunately for her, Emily noticed.

In fact, Emily noticed everything.

She sat beside Robin near the outdoor dining area. Both were observing the others like wildlife researchers documenting rare species.

Robin pointed toward the living room.

"River and Nicole."

Emily nodded. "Obvious."

"Very."

Robin pointed toward the pool. "Aaron and Rose."

Emily grinned. "Unexpected."

Robin nodded. "Very unexpected."

Then they looked toward the game room. Where Mary was trying and failing to act normal around Leo.

Emily nearly choked. "Oh, that’s hilarious."

Robin laughed. "She doesn’t realize how obvious she is."

Then Emily suddenly became serious. "What about Chris and Liliana?"

Robin’s smile disappeared.

He looked toward the second-floor balcony. His thoughts immediately returned to the envelope. The photographs and the message. ’I know who she is.’

His expression darkened which Emily noticed.

"Something happened."

Robin looked at her. "What makes you think that?"

"Because Chris isn’t relaxing."

They both watched the balcony. Chris stood beside Liliana. Smiling. Talking. Looking perfectly normal. But Emily noticed something others missed. His eyes never stopped scanning their surroundings.

He never stopped watching. As though he expected danger to appear at any moment.

Robin sighed.

Unfortunately, Emily was right.

Something had happened. And whatever it was, it involved Liliana.

"I just want Liliana to be safe. That’s what matters. I’ll trust you and Chris. For now."

Far below, laughter echoed across the villa as the Sterlings and Pulse enjoyed their first night together.

But somewhere beyond the lights, someone was watching.

And Chris knew their peaceful weekend would not last forever.