Everything was perfect with my boyfriend, Shawn, except for one mystery: He only talked to his mom when I wasn’t around. Something felt amiss. So, I discreetly followed him one day, and what I saw made my skin crawl.

The scent of chamomile tea lingered in our house as I overheard Shawn whisper into his phone, “Alright, Mom… I’ll be there.”

I knocked on our bedroom door and asked, “Can I come in now? Done talking to your mother?”

“Come in, babe!” Shawn, engrossed in his phone, barely looked up.

He quickly ended the call and turned his attention to me, flashing his usual charming smile. But I couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling in my gut. Why did he always have to talk to his mom when I wasn’t around? What were they hiding?

That evening, I made up my mind. The next time Shawn planned to visit his mom, I would follow him and find out what was really going on.

Two days later, I got my chance. Shawn announced that he was heading out to see his mom. I pretended to be engrossed in a book, casually saying, “Okay, have fun.”

As soon as he left, I grabbed my keys and slipped out the door, keeping a safe distance as I followed his car. My heart pounded with each turn, the suspense building with every mile.

Shawn’s car finally pulled into a secluded, run-down neighborhood I had never seen before. He parked in front of a dilapidated house with boarded-up windows. This didn’t look like a place his mom would live.

I watched from a distance as he got out of the car and walked up to the door, glancing around nervously before knocking. The door opened slightly, and a shadowy figure beckoned him inside. My skin prickled with unease. Something was very wrong here.

Determined to uncover the truth, I waited until the coast was clear and quietly approached the house. I peeked through a crack in the window, my breath catching in my throat at what I saw.

Inside, Shawn was speaking to a woman who was definitely not his mother. She was middle-aged, with harsh features and a menacing presence. They were standing in what looked like a makeshift office, filled with strange equipment and documents scattered everywhere.

I strained to hear their conversation.

“You’re late,” the woman hissed. “You know how important this is.”

“I’m sorry,” Shawn replied, his voice trembling. “I had to be careful not to arouse suspicion.”

“Is she still buying your story?” the woman asked.

“Yes,” Shawn nodded. “But I don’t know how much longer I can keep this up. She’s starting to get suspicious.”

My heart sank. Who was this woman, and what did she mean by “buying your story”? I needed answers.

Unable to contain my curiosity any longer, I decided to confront them. I knocked on the door, and a moment later, it swung open. Shawn’s eyes widened in shock when he saw me.

“What are you doing here?” he stammered.

“I could ask you the same thing,” I shot back, stepping inside.

The woman glared at me. “Who is this?”

“This is my girlfriend, Emily,” Shawn said, his voice shaky. “Emily, this is… um, this is Agent Collins.”

“Agent?” I repeated, my confusion growing. “What’s going on, Shawn?”

Shawn took a deep breath. “Emily, there’s something I need to tell you. I’ve been working undercover with the FBI. Agent Collins is my handler. We’re investigating a dangerous criminal organization, and I had to keep it a secret to protect you.”

I was stunned. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I wanted to, but it was too risky,” Shawn said. “I’m sorry for deceiving you, but it was the only way to keep you safe.”

Agent Collins stepped forward. “Your boyfriend is one of our best agents. He’s been risking his life to bring these criminals down.”

As the reality of the situation sank in, my anger turned to concern. “But why all the secrecy with your mom?”

Shawn sighed. “That was part of the cover. I had to make it look like I was visiting my mom, but really, I was meeting with Agent Collins.”

My heart softened. Despite the deception, Shawn had been trying to protect me. “I understand now. Just promise me no more secrets.”

Shawn pulled me into a hug. “I promise.”

As we left the house, hand in hand, I felt a mix of relief and apprehension. Our lives had been turned upside down, but at least now, we could face the challenges together, with no more secrets between us.