My \"Abusive Husband\" is Actually an Android

In the middle of the night, I was dragged into the police precinct.

Hailey Ward, my intern, was sitting there shivering, wrapped in a man's oversized jacket.

The moment she saw me, she pointed a shaking finger right at my nose and screamed, It's him... It was her husband! He assaulted me! He ruined my life! I want him in prison for the rest of his miserable life!

The detectives in the room turned to look at me, their eyes filled with utter disgust.

I stood there, completely frozen.

I'm twenty-eight, single, and haven't been in a relationship in years. Where the hell did I get a husband?

Before I could even open my mouth to explain, another officer burst into the room. "Detective Miller, the rape kit results are back. We found male DNA on Hailey Ward. We're rushing the DNA match through the database right now."

Hailey stumbled forward, trying to lunge at me. "Chloe Sterling! What do you have to say for yourself now? You enabled that psycho husband of yours. You both deserve to rot in hell!"

A sudden realization hit me. I didn't get angry. Instead, I calmly took a sip of water from the paper cup.

Wait. On paper... I actually did have a husband.

Except, he wasn't human.

I set my cup down and looked at the detective in charge. "Check the public registry first."

Hailey's sobbing stopped instantly.

Detective Miller frowned. "What do you mean by that?"

"I mean, I've never been married. I don't even have a boyfriend."

Hailey immediately grabbed her phone and slammed a photo onto the metal desk. It was a screenshot of my emergency contact and employee info sheet. Under the marital status section, it clearly read: Married, with child.

She glared at me, her eyes red. "Chloe, are you seriously still lying at a time like this? Everyone at the office knows you have a husband and a kid! You leave at exactly five every single day. You never join us for after-work Happy Hour, and you refuse any business trips that require staying overnight. Last month, when the boss asked you to stay for a dinner with clients, you said your husband had a massive temper. You said if you were even a minute late, he'd start throwing things."

Miller's gaze turned cold again. "Ms. Sterling, I suggest you take this seriously. Harboring a fugitive and covering up a felony is a serious crime. You will face prison time."

I pinched the bridge of my nose, feeling a massive headache coming on.

Who would have thought that the fake, toxic husband I made up just to escape working overtime would one day land me in a police station?

Three years ago, during my interview, HR asked if I could handle frequent, last-minute traveling. I knew that single women in this industry were often treated as free, on-call labor. So, I casually lied and said I was married with a young toddler who needed me home.

After I got the job, the boss loved calling "urgent" meetings ten minutes before clock-out time. To leave on time, I had to keep building my fake story. My husband had anger issues. My kid was sickly. My mother-in-law was a controlling freak. I even invented an eighty-year-old grandmother who lived with us and needed me to feed her dinner.

Thanks to this completely imaginary, dysfunctional family, I managed to avoid every single useless corporate bonding event for three years.

But now, karma was biting me in the ass.

"Officer, I admit that the whole marriage and kid thing was a lie. You can check the official government database. The system doesn't lie."

Hailey jumped up from her chair, hysterical. "So you're saying I'm lying about being assaulted?! What girl would make up something like this and ruin her own reputation? You lied to the company about being married, and now you're claiming you're single. Who knows what's real with you? Detective, she's the department director. She has money and connections. She probably hacked the registry and wiped her marriage records!"

I looked at her. She was wrapped in that large male jacket, her hair a messy nest, with a few red scratches on her arms. She was crying tears of pure despair, but every accusation she threw at me was calculated and sharp.

The detective logged into the federal database to verify my identity. After a few minutes, he looked up. "The registry says Chloe Sterling, twenty-eight, single, no children."

Hailey's crying cut off instantly. She stared at the screen, her face pale. "No... That's impossible! That's absolutely impossible!"

Suddenly, as if remembering something, she fumbled with her phone, pulled up a video, and shoved it in front of the detective. "Fine! Maybe they aren't legally married. But people can live together without a marriage certificate, right?"

She tapped play on a security camera clip. A tall man wearing a black hoodie was walking out of my apartment hallway, carrying a trash bag, and stepping into the elevator. "This guy! This guy came right out of your apartment! Even if he isn't your husband, he's your boyfriend! He's the suspect you've been hiding in your home!"

Hailey zoomed in on the screen. "I've been in your car, Chloe. I saw this exact hoodie on your backseat. Are you going to tell me he has nothing to do with you? Chloe Sterling, how are you going to explain this?!"

Looking at that familiar, tall figure in the hoodie, my heart sank. I finally understood why she was so absolutely sure I had a husband.

Next, the detective pulled up another security video from the street nearby. The timestamp was shortly before Hailey called 911. Under a dim streetlight, a tall man of the exact same build suddenly grabbed Hailey from the sidewalk and dragged her into the dark shadows of a bush.

Hailey pointed at the screen, shaking like a leaf, weeping as she watched herself being dragged away. "That's him! That's the man!" She whipped around to face me, her eyes burning with pure hatred. "And you! Chloe Sterling! You're his accomplice!"

Hailey was absolutely certain that the man who assaulted her and the man who walked out of my apartment to throw away the trash were the same person. In both videos, the build and the hoodie were about eighty percent identical. And that specific bush happened to be in a security camera blind spot. A few minutes later in the video, Hailey stumbled out of the bushes, her clothes torn, with clear scratches and bruises on her arms.

The detective turned the screen toward me. "Do you know him?"

"Yes."

Hailey screamed instantly. "You finally admit it! He's the one who did this to me! Chloe, you knew he was a sick freak, and you purposely brought me to your neighborhood!"

I stared at the familiar figure on the screen, remaining calm.

The detective pressed on. "What's his name?"

"He doesn't have one."

"Social Security Number?"

"He doesn't have one of those either."

The detective slammed his hand on the desk. "Chloe Sterling! This is a police precinct, not a playground. Stop playing games!"

I looked up, meeting his eyes. "I am telling you the truth. The thing that walked out of my apartment... is not a human being."

"You cold-hearted, evil bitch!" Hailey lost her mind and began cursing at me. "No wonder you always offered to drive me home after work for free! You had this planned all along! You're his accomplice! You set me up just so your freak boyfriend could assault an innocent girl!"

A chill ran down my spine.

Hailey was a fresh graduate with a low salary, and her rented place was far from the office. I had driven her home purely out of pity, wanting to make things a little easier for a young girl starting out. At work, I always looked out for her, assigning her the easiest tasks that still got her the best commissions. I never could have imagined that my kindness would be twisted into a horrific criminal accusation.

Right then, the door to the interrogation room was slammed open. Several people claiming to be Hailey's family rushed in, pointing at me and screaming obscenities. "You absolute monster! Look what you did to my daughter!" "She's a good girl! She was supposed to get married soon! Now you and your psycho husband ruined her life!"

A middle-aged woman Hailey's mother was wailing hysterically. She lunged forward, trying to grab my hair. "I'm telling you, this isn't over! We want fifty thousand dollars for emotional damages! Every single penny! Or we will go to your company, post this on Snapchat, and ruin your entire life!"

The officers immediately jumped in to hold them back. Miller turned to me, his voice sharp and commanding. "Chloe Sterling! Tell us the identity of the man living with you right now!"

The room was in absolute chaos. The screaming, crying, and cursing made my ears ring. I sighed, looking up. "Fine, I'll tell you. But like I said... he isn't human."

The room went dead silent for a fraction of a second.

Hailey's mother was the first to react, leaping up from her chair and charging at me again. "What the hell are you talking about?! Not human? What is he, a ghost? Do you think we're idiots?!"

Miller stood up, his face turning incredibly dark. He clearly thought I was mocking him. "Ms. Sterling! This is a police station. We do not tolerate jokes here!"

Hailey became completely hysterical. "Officers, do you see this?! She won't confess until she's behind bars!" Hailey snatched a ballpoint pen from the desk and pressed the sharp tip hard against her own neck. "Do I have to die right in front of you for you to believe me?" She shrieked, tears streaming down her face. "Is the camera footage fake? Are my injuries fake? Is the DNA inside me fake too?!" She sobbed, glaring at the police with desperation. "If you don't arrest that monster, and if you don't punish this woman who is protecting him, I will kill myself right here!"

Seeing this, Miller warned me with a freezing voice. "Chloe Sterling, this is your absolute last warning. Refusing to hand over a suspect makes you an accessory to a felony. You will face serious prison time. This is your last chance."

The room was a mess. Miller managed to disarm Hailey, taking the pen away, while another officer dragged her mother out of the room. "Chloe, we've given you every opportunity to explain. Give us his name, address, and contact info. Now. Otherwise, we will officially charge you as an accomplice."

I looked at the clock on the wall. "Let's go to my apartment. He's in there right now."

Miller waved his hand. "Assemble a team. We're moving out."

They put me in handcuffs for the ride. When the cold metal clicked around my wrists, my heart twinged with a bit of pain.

Three years ago, I was the one who hired Hailey. When she couldn't afford rent in the city center, I helped her apply for company housing. When her mother was hospitalized and no other coworker would lend her a dime, I personally lent her five thousand dollars. I mentored her from a clueless intern to a core team member. And now, she couldn't wait to put me in a cage.

I was escorted into the back of a police cruiser. Fifteen minutes later, we pulled up to my building. Several heavily armed tactical officers quickly got out of their SUVs, securing the perimeter of the building.

Hailey hid behind a few officers, pointing a trembling finger at my window. "It's up there. That demon is definitely still inside."

The arrival of several police cars with flashing lights had caused quite a stir. A few elderly neighbors were peeking out from their windows.

Miller began deploying his men. After a quick briefing, he drew his service weapon and walked over to me. "What kind of lock is on your door?"

"Fingerprint scanner."

"You're going to open it for us."

I held up my hands. "Sure, but you'll have to let me use my finger."

Miller glanced at me and immediately denied the request. "No. You might trigger a silent alarm or alert the suspect inside." He turned and waved to the officers behind him. "Get the battering ram."

I sighed. It was just a simple smart lock, but they insisted on using a battering ram. Fine. Building management would charge the department for the door repairs anyway.

The elevator was too slow, so the tactical team rushed up the stairs to the sixth floor. I was escorted by two officers, my handcuffs clinking with every step.

Standing outside my apartment door, Miller gave the final signal. Two tactical officers flanked the door, their rifles raised. Behind them, an officer held a heavy steel battering ram, ready to swing.

Miller held up three fingers, counting down silently. Three. Two. One.

BOOM!

The door flew open, and the team stormed inside like a pack of wolves. "Police! Nobody move!" "Hands in the air! Get down on the ground! Now!"

The living room lights were bright, and the warm scent of freshly cooked dinner filled the air. In the kitchen, a tall man was standing with his back turned to everyone.

He was holding a spatula.

Even with the loud shouting and guns pointed at him, he didn't react at all.

Miller yelled even louder, "I won't say it again! Get on the ground! Hands behind your head, or we will use force!"

Still, no response.

Two tactical officers exchanged a quick look and rushed forward. One grabbed his arm, twisting it backward, while the other tried to pin his shoulder down.

In that exact split second.

CLACK.

The entire living room fell into a horrifying, dead silence. Everyone stared in absolute shock at the arm that had just fallen onto the hardwood floor.

"No... This... This is impossible..." A young officer stammered, his voice filled with terror and confusion.

And in that eerie silence, the man with the missing arm slowly spun around. He looked at me with his glowing, synthetic eyes. "Welcome home, Chloe. Dinner is ready. System alert: Door lock damage detected. Would you like me to contact building maintenance immediately?"

The officer who was holding the "man's" other shoulder jumped back as if he'd been electrocuted. He fell flat on his butt, scrambling backward, screaming at Miller. "De... Detective! This... This guy is made of metal!"

I could finally speak. I walked over to the "man," looking back at the frozen police officers and the pale, trembling Hailey. "Everyone, let me formally introduce you. This is the 'man' who throws out my trash and cooks my dinner every day. The one you all swore was a rapist. He is also the 'abusive husband' I made up to avoid working unpaid overtime. Meet Apollo. A limited-edition, advanced domestic service android."

"Ah!" Hailey let out a piercing shriek. She rubbed her eyes in utter disbelief, babbling incoherently. "No... No! That's impossible! A robot can't look exactly like a real human! You're lying! You must be lying!"

I calmly walked to the sideboard, opened a drawer, and pulled out a thick folder. "Officers, here are the full patent certificates, factory quality approval, and technical specifications for this latest model of synthetic android. They come in male and female models. Very customizable."

I handed the documents to the completely dumbfounded Miller. "Furthermore, as the lead engineer of this project, I can assure you that his design and manufacturing comply with all international safety standards."

My words sent another shockwave through the room.

Hailey, still refusing to accept defeat, immediately yelled, "Even... Even if he's a robot! You must have done it! You remotely controlled this robot to assault me!"

I looked at her like she was an absolute idiot. "Hailey, did you fail basic biology in high school?" I walked over to Apollo, and before everyone's eyes, I pulled down his sweatpants. "He's a domestic chore-focused android. Not a sex toy."

A few officers quickly looked away, clearing their throats. Miller coughed uncomfortably.

"As you can see, to avoid legal and ethical issues, our domestic models do not come equipped with any human reproductive organs down there. So please tell me, how exactly did he assault you? With his charging port?"

Hailey's mother, realizing things were going horribly wrong, jumped in to cause more trouble. "Then... Then it must have been another man! There has to be another man! This robot is just a cover-up to confuse us!"

Hailey's face flashed between red and white, her hands shaking, but she still wouldn't back down. "Then how do you explain the security footage? The figure in the hoodie!"

I let out a cold laugh, walked over to my desk, and plugged my laptop in. "You want evidence? Fine. I'll show you everything."