The Bigshot's Superstar Wife

Athena followed Xavier through the dimly lit corridors of the base, her boots tapping softly against the metal floor.

Despite the security measures in place, she could still hear the faint echoes of the chaos outside, distant growls, the eerie howls of mutated creatures, and the occasional distant gunfire.

The world outside was dying, yet inside this fortress, there was an illusion of life persisting.

When they reached a reinforced door, Xavier pressed his palm against a scanner, and the heavy steel barrier hissed open.

A gust of warm, humid air enveloped her, carrying the unmistakable scent of soil, greenery, and life. Athena stepped inside and froze.

Before her was an expanse of lush greenery stretching across the greenhouse, contained within high glass walls that were streaked with dirt but still allowed a murky semblance of sunlight to filter through.

Vines climbed trellises, bearing plump tomatoes and curling around the metal framework like they were reclaiming civilization in their own quiet way.

Rows of leafy greens, potatoes, carrots, and herbs sprouted from rich, dark soil, their vibrance shocking against the dull backdrop of the ruined world.

In the center stood a cluster of dwarf fruit trees, their small but thriving branches heavy with citrus and apples.

She reached out, fingers brushing against the cool leaves of a basil plant, the scent crisp and fresh. It felt unnatural, impossible even.

The apocalypse had burned lands, dried up rivers, and smothered fertile soil in decay and ash. And yet, in this greenhouse, life had defied death.

Xavier watched her reaction with mild amusement. "Surprised?"

Athena nodded. "This should be impossible." She turned to face him, eyes sharp with curiosity. "How are you keeping all this alive? The soil outside can't even support weeds."

His lips curled into a small, knowing smile. "We salvaged what we could before things collapsed."

"Hydroponics, controlled irrigation, a little bit of chemistry, and a lot of trial and error. We had experts who knew how to adapt. This is the result."

He gestured around. "A little bit of civilization left standing."

She narrowed her eyes. "You say 'we.' But something tells me you're the one behind all of this."

Xavier chuckled. "You always were perceptive." He plucked a small ripe strawberry from a vine and tossed it to her.

She caught it, rolling the fruit between her fingers before hesitantly biting into it. The taste was almost overwhelming, sweet, fresh, real. It had been so long since she had something so simple yet so precious.

She swallowed, glancing at him with something close to suspicion. "You have all of this, yet you still send people out to scavenge."

Xavier shrugged. "This isn't infinite. Even with all our precautions, crops can fail. Water can be contaminated. Pests, mutated ones, can destroy entire harvests overnight. We can't rely on just one source of survival."

Athena let out a slow breath, still taking in the thriving ecosystem before her. Despite his nonchalant tone, she could sense the weight behind his words.

He was someone who planned for every possibility, someone who knew that even the smallest misstep could mean death.

As they walked further in, she saw small fish tanks built into the sides of the irrigation system, tiny silver fish darting through the water, part of a carefully maintained aquaponics system.

Chickens pecked at the feed in their designated corner, kept behind reinforced mesh. Everything had a purpose, everything was optimized.

"This… it's impressive," she admitted, crossing her arms. "Most people are barely surviving, and here you are, growing a paradise."

Xavier smirked. "I don't settle for barely surviving."

Athena shook her head, brushing her fingers against a row of tall wheatgrass. "How many people know about this place?"

His smile faded slightly. "Not many. The fewer who know, the safer it stays."

She understood. In a world where food was more valuable than gold, this greenhouse was a beacon of hope, and a target. Desperate people wouldn't hesitate to tear this place apart for a single meal.

"I take it this isn't charity," she murmured.

Xavier's expression darkened slightly, his usual playfulness replaced with something more calculating.

"I provide for those who are useful to me. Those who protect what we've built. This base doesn't operate on kindness, it operates on necessity."

Athena met his gaze, searching for any hint of deception. She found none. He was brutally honest, in a way most people weren't. There was no room for idealism in the apocalypse.

She turned away from him, eyes scanning the expanse of green once more. She had spent so long fighting, scavenging, and killing just to make it through another day.

And here, someone had built something sustainable, something lasting. It was the closest thing to civilization she had seen in years.

Xavier watched her carefully, his hands in his pockets. "Stay," he said simply.

Athena tensed. "You know I can't."

"You can." His voice was smooth, and persuasive. "You're strong. You think fast, and fight well. You've already seen how I operate. You'd be an asset."

She exhaled slowly, fingers curling into a loose fist. "I don't take orders."

Xavier chuckled. "Neither do I." He took a step closer, lowering his voice. "But you're tired of running, aren't you?"

She hated that he could read her so well. That he saw the exhaustion in her bones, the weight she carried from surviving alone for so long.

Athena looked up at him, something unreadable in her expression. "I don't trust you."

Xavier smirked. "That's fair. I wouldn't trust me either."

For a moment, they stood in silence, surrounded by the gentle hum of irrigation systems and the rustling of leaves in the artificial breeze.

The apocalypse had taken everything from them, but here, in this small pocket of defiance against the end of the world, something unfamiliar stirred in Athena's chest.

Hope. Or maybe something far more dangerous. Athena turned her gaze away from Xavier, focusing on the rows of green before her.

The air was thick with the scent of soil and growing things, a stark contrast to the death and decay that lurked beyond the base's walls.

She wanted to believe in this, believe that something real, something sustainable, could exist in a world that had already crumbled. But trust was a luxury she couldn't afford.

Xavier watched her with quiet amusement. "Think about it," he said smoothly. "You don't have to run anymore."

Athena clenched her jaw, gripping a ripe fruit in her hand. "I'm not sure I know how to stop."