My Husband Is An International Idol

After nearly two weeks in Aurelia Medical Center, Liliana was finally discharged.

The announcement was made quietly. Matthew St. Claire had no intention of allowing another media frenzy outside the hospital.

Just before sunrise, a convoy of black vehicles waited at the hospital’s private entrance.

Henry personally inspected every vehicle. Additional security personnel had already secured the route back to the St. Claire Mansion.

Even after Harry Finn’s death, no one wanted to take unnecessary risks.

When Liliana stepped outside, she instinctively looked up at the morning sky. Fresh air, warm sunlight and freedom welcomed her.

She smiled softly.

"I’m finally going home."

Chris, standing beside her, gently wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

"You are. And this time, you’ll never have to leave alone again."

Liliana looked at him before quietly taking his hand.

"I like the sound of that."

Although the doctors had approved her discharge, they made one condition perfectly clear.

Recovery was far from over.

Her attending physician, who also swore strict confidentiality of their marriage, reviewed the schedule one final time.

"Mrs. St. Claire, your physical condition is improving well. The bruises have healed considerably. Your nutritional status is returning to normal."

"But..."

He looked at both Chris and Liliana.

"Trauma doesn’t heal as quickly as the body."

He handed them another folder.

"Weekly physical examinations. Psychological counseling. Sleep evaluations. And regular follow-up consultations."

Liliana accepted the papers with both hands.

"I understand."

The doctor smiled warmly.

"You’ve shown remarkable resilience."

Chris quietly asked,

"Will she recover completely?"

The physician answered honestly.

"Yes. But recovery isn’t about forgetting. It’s about learning to live without the memories controlling your life."

Liliana nodded.

"I’ll do my best."

During the drive home, Chris couldn’t stop glancing at her.

Liliana eventually laughed.

"You’re checking if I’m still here."

Chris smiled sheepishly.

"Maybe."

"You’ve looked at me at least twenty times. I counted."

He laughed. "I’ll probably keep doing it. For a while."

Liliana gently leaned her head against his shoulder.

"I don’t mind."

When the gates of St. Claire Mansion opened, dozens of familiar faces were already waiting.

Amanda hurried down the front steps. Before saying a single word, she embraced Liliana tightly.

"Welcome home."

Liliana hugged her back.

"I’m home."

Matthew smiled warmly.

"So the mansion finally feels complete again."

The Pulse members applauded dramatically.

Emily immediately burst into tears.

"I missed you!"

"You’ve only seen me yesterday."

"I know!"

Emily cried harder anyway.

"You were sleeping!"

Everyone laughed.

Even Robin smiled.

It was the first genuine laughter the mansion had heard in days.

Life inside the mansion had changed. One entire guest wing had been completely renovated over the past several days.

Not into bedrooms. But into an investigation headquarters.

Long tables filled the largest room. Maps covered one wall. Financial documents covered another. Photographs, timelines, corporate records, old newspaper articles and everything connected to Sterling Corporation had been gathered there.

Victor Reyes stood quietly organizing folders while Sarah Clifford arranged evidence chronologically.

Henry supervised additional security outside the room.

Matthew looked toward Liliana.

"We’ll only discuss this when you’re ready."

Liliana nodded.

"I’m ready."

By evening, more vehicles arrived.

Grandmother Lucia stepped out first. Despite everything that had happened, she stood with quiet dignity. Behind her came Uncle Robert. Melanie, Lucia Sterling’s niece and the mother of Mary and Rose, followed close behind. Then Uncle Gideon and Aunt Theresa.

They had made a decision together. During the investigation, they would all stay at the mansion.

Matthew welcomed each of them personally.

"Our home is your home."

Lucia smiled gently.

"Thank you."

"We’re family."

That evening, everyone gathered inside the newly prepared investigation room.

For a long moment, no one spoke.

The photographs of Edward and Vanessa Sterling rested in the center of the table.

Liliana quietly stared at her parents’ smiling faces. Chris gently squeezed her hand beneath the table. She smiled faintly in return.

Victor finally spoke.

"Before we continue investigating Arthur Jones, I believe understanding Sterling Corporation itself is important."

He looked toward the Sterling siblings.

"Tell us about Edward."

Robert smiled sadly.

"My brother. He was extraordinary."

The room became quiet.

"He was the eldest son. But somehow, he became the head of the family after Dad could no longer function as our father."

Robert looked down.

"Aside from Dad being a womanizer, he was an alcoholic. Edward knew he had to be strong and stood for us. He took the responsibilities that our father should have."

"He never backed away from difficult decisions. He loved solving problems. He wasn’t afraid of taking risks."

Gideon nodded. "That was Edward. If everyone else hesitated, he stepped forward."

Robert continued. "He asked me several times to join Sterling Corporation."

Victor listened carefully.

"What did he ask you to do?"

Robert laughed softly.

"Almost everything. He wanted me to help manage operations. He said he trusted me."

Robert shook his head.

"But, I wasn’t interested in business. I loved Sterling Village and wanted a quiet life."

He smiled toward Emily and Nathan.

"I already had everything I wanted."

Emily smiled back at his father. Nathan nodded.

"I never encouraged him to leave either. I know the village is too far from the city"

Robert sighed.

"Looking back, I wish I had."

Victor turned toward Gideon.

"And you?"

The youngest brother smiled weakly.

"I wasn’t any different."

Edward had also invited him.

"He wanted me to oversee logistics. But I chose another career. I told him business wasn’t for me."

He looked toward Liliana.

"Your father laughed. He said to at least visit the office once in a while.’"

Everyone smiled faintly.

"He never forced us. He simply supported whatever dreams we had."

Gideon’s eyes slowly became red.

"He paid for our education, our weddings and our first homes. He celebrated every success we had."

Robert nodded.

"He wasn’t just our brother. He became our father after Dad died."

Lucia quietly wiped away a tear.

"He carried everyone’s burdens. And never complained."

Victor slowly asked the question everyone had been thinking.

"So, when neither of you joined Sterling Corporation, who did Edward rely on?"

Silence.

Robert answered almost immediately.

"Arthur."

Gideon nodded.

"Arthur was always beside him. They worked together almost every day. Edward trusted him with confidential documents, major negotiations and financial approvals."

Matthew slowly leaned back in his chair.

"Exactly the position someone would need..."

"...to commit fraud."

No one answered. Because everyone knew he was right.

Robert lowered his head.

"We regret it."

Victor looked at him.

"What do you regret?"

Robert’s voice became heavy.

"We left him alone. He asked for help. And we said no. We knew he felt sad about our decision." He sighed.

"So, he turned to Arthur."

Gideon closed his eyes.

"If we had been there, maybe..."

Robert finished quietly.

"...Edward would still be alive."

The room fell into complete silence.

Liliana looked at the photograph of her father once more. She wasn’t only seeing the successful businessman everyone admired.

She was seeing an older brother, a son, a father, a man who had carried an entire family’s future on his shoulders. And perhaps, the loneliness of doing it almost entirely alone.

The investigation had only just begun.

But every answer they uncovered revealed an even more painful truth than the last.

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