husband?

chapter 6

A few weeks had passed since Lucy's secret life had begun to unravel, and she could feel the tension slowly dissipating. Tim had taken the news surprisingly well, and despite her earlier fears, he didn't treat her any differently at work. If anything, their bond had grown stronger, based on a new level of trust. Still, Lucy knew that telling Tim was only the beginning. It was one thing for her T.O. to know, but another for the entire precinct to find out about her wealth, her marriage to the FBI SAC, and her kids. She wasn't ready to drop the bomb on everyone—at least, not yet.

Her routine had returned to a sense of normalcy, though she was far more careful about keeping her personal life and her job separate. She made sure to drive her more modest car to work, her diamond ring stayed locked away at home, and she continued to play the part of the rookie officer at LAPD Mid-Wilshire Division. But in the back of her mind, Lucy knew that secrets had a way of catching up with you.

One Friday afternoon, the precinct was buzzing with chatter about an upcoming LAPD and FBI joint task force operation. Lucy knew her husband, David, would be involved from the FBI side, though she kept that fact to herself. She was careful to maintain the illusion that she was just another cop, no different from her colleagues. But things were about to get complicated.

That evening, Bailey invited Lucy to a precinct happy hour at a local bar—a tradition for the officers to unwind after a long week. Lucy hesitated. She hadn't gone to one of these in a while, mostly because she feared slipping up and revealing something about her personal life. But Bailey was persistent.

"Come on, Lucy, you never go to these things anymore," Bailey teased. "You need a break. Plus, Tim's been bugging me about why you keep avoiding everyone."

Lucy sighed, knowing Bailey had a point. She hadn't exactly been socializing with her colleagues lately. It was time to get back in the mix, even if it meant treading carefully.

"Alright, alright," Lucy relented. "I'll go."

---

The bar was packed with off-duty officers, their laughter and conversation filling the air. Lucy and Bailey arrived together, joining a table with Tim, Angela, and a few others from the precinct. For the first hour, Lucy felt like she could breathe again. They were talking shop, exchanging stories from the week, and Lucy managed to relax, enjoying the company of her fellow officers.

But as the night wore on, the inevitable happened.

"Hey, Lucy," Angela Lopez said, leaning in with a mischievous grin. "You still haven't told us who the lucky guy is."

Lucy's heart skipped a beat, her hand instinctively going to the spot where her wedding ring usually sat—though tonight it was safely tucked away at home. "What do you mean?" she asked, trying to play it off, but she knew exactly where this conversation was going.

"Come on, don't pretend we haven't noticed the ring," Angela continued, her eyes gleaming. "You wore it once, and now you're acting like it never happened. Spill. Who's the mystery man?"

Tim shot Lucy a quick glance, his expression neutral but aware of the pressure mounting on her. He had kept her secret, but now everyone else was closing in.

Bailey, always quick on her feet, tried to jump in. "Oh, that? Lucy's married to her work, aren't you, Chen?"

Lucy gave Bailey a grateful look, but Angela wasn't letting it go that easily. "Yeah, right. That ring was huge, and you're telling me it's not real?"

Lucy's mind raced. She didn't want to lie anymore, not to these people she trusted. But the thought of the entire precinct knowing about her double life still made her uneasy. Before she could respond, a familiar voice cut through the noise behind them.

"Hey, Chen."

Lucy's stomach dropped. She knew that voice all too well—it was David. She turned to see him standing at the bar, his sharp eyes locking onto hers. Dressed casually, but with the unmistakable air of authority that came with his job, he didn't exactly blend in. He was, after all, the FBI SAC, and in a room full of cops, his presence drew attention immediately.

The entire table fell silent as they noticed the man standing next to Lucy. Angela's eyes widened. Tim leaned back in his seat, crossing his arms with a knowing smirk. Bailey bit her lip, trying to suppress a laugh, clearly enjoying the awkward situation.

"David?" Lucy managed to say, her voice a little higher than usual. "What are you doing here?"

David smiled, looking as calm and collected as ever. "I was meeting a couple of agents for a drink nearby. Thought I'd stop by and see if you needed a ride home."

Lucy's brain scrambled to find an explanation, but it was clear that there was no way out of this now. The cat was out of the bag, and everyone at the table knew it.

"You know him?" Angela asked, her eyes darting between Lucy and David.

David chuckled. "You could say that."