The Bigshot's Superstar Wife

The night stretched endlessly as Athena and Xavier made their way through the ruined cityscape, their movements silent but purposeful. The revelations in the laboratory had rattled her to her core, but she refused to let them shake her resolve. She was determined to uncover the full truth—even if it meant facing the worst parts of herself.

Xavier, walking beside her, seemed unusually quiet. He had always been unreadable, a man who carried secrets like armor, but tonight, there was something almost expectant about him. His smirk was gone, replaced by a calculating gaze as he observed her.

"You haven't said much since we left," he finally commented, his voice smooth yet laced with something deeper.

Athena exhaled slowly. "What do you expect me to say?" She looked ahead, stepping over a cracked sidewalk. "I was created to kill, I don't even know if the memories I have are real or implanted. And the person I was supposed to eliminate… might still be alive."

Xavier chuckled, low and amused. "That's one way to put it." His fingers brushed against the hilt of the knife at his belt. "But you still haven't asked the most important question."

Athena narrowed her eyes at him, stopping in her tracks. "And what question is that?"

Xavier turned to face her fully, the dim light from the moon casting sharp shadows on his face. "Who exactly was the mission meant to target?"

The air between them grew thick. Athena had thought about it, of course. It was the most glaring gap in her memory. She could recall standing in that cold, sterile laboratory, speaking about a mafia leader—someone powerful enough to warrant assassination, someone dangerous enough to be eliminated at all costs. But nowhere in the fragmented pieces of her past did a name appear.

"You already know something," she accused, watching him carefully.

Xavier tilted his head, considering her. "I might. Or I might just be enjoying watching you figure it out."

Athena clenched her fists. "Damn it, Xavier. Just tell me."

For a moment, he said nothing. Then, he took a step closer, invading her space. His breath was warm against her skin when he finally spoke. "What if the person you were supposed to kill is still watching you right now?"

Athena's body tensed. A sharp chill ran down her spine. "What do you mean?"

Xavier's smirk returned, this time sharper, more sinister. "You've changed a lot, Athena. But not enough to fool me."

Her pulse thundered in her ears. Her instincts screamed at her, but before she could react, Xavier reached out, brushing a strand of hair away from her face. His fingers lingered, almost affectionate, before he whispered, "If I told you that you were meant to kill me, would you believe me?"

Athena's breath hitched. Her entire body locked up. It was as if the world had stopped moving, as if everything she thought she understood had shattered in an instant.

No. It couldn't be.

But when she met Xavier's gaze, she knew—deep down, she knew.

His smile widened as he watched the realization dawn on her. "Now, that's the reaction I was waiting for."

Athena took an instinctive step back. "That's not possible," she said, shaking her head. "There's no way—"

"No way what?" Xavier cut in smoothly. "No way you were sent to kill me? No way you and I have crossed paths long before you lost your memories? No way that I'm the very reason you exist in the first place?"

Her breathing grew uneven. The pieces were falling into place, but they didn't make sense. "You're lying," she said, but the words felt hollow.

Xavier laughed. "I don't need to lie, Athena. You're remembering, aren't you?"

She wanted to deny it, to push back, but flashes of something—memories buried so deep they felt like distant dreams—came rushing to the surface. A name whispered in the dark. The touch of a hand wrapped around her wrist. The sound of a gunshot ringing through a silent night.

She staggered back another step, and Xavier let her.

"I don't understand," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper.

Xavier's expression softened, just a little. "Then let's make sure you do."

Before she could say another word, a sudden explosion in the distance lit up the sky. The ground rumbled beneath them. Both of them snapped their heads in the direction of the noise, their tension momentarily broken.

Xavier clicked his tongue. "It seems we have company."

Athena forced herself to focus. Whoever—or whatever—had caused that explosion wasn't waiting for her to figure out her past. There were more immediate dangers, more urgent battles to fight.

For now, the truth could wait.

But not for long.

"Let's go," she said, pushing everything else aside.

Xavier grinned, drawing his weapon. "Now that's the Athena I know."

Without another word, they ran toward the chaos, side by side.

The closer they got to the explosion, the stronger the scent of burning metal and charred flesh became. Smoke billowed into the sky, mixing with the dim light of the night, turning everything into a suffocating haze. The air crackled with tension, and in the distance, Athena could hear the desperate cries of survivors and the relentless, guttural snarls of something inhuman.

Athena and Xavier moved in perfect sync, weaving through the broken streets, their weapons drawn. As they neared the scene, the destruction became clearer. A once-standing outpost had been reduced to rubble, its defenses torn apart as if some massive force had ripped through it effortlessly.

Then, she saw them—creatures that were neither zombie nor fully alien, their grotesque bodies covered in sharp, glistening chitin, their movements eerily fluid despite their monstrous size. Their mandibles clacked as they sniffed out survivors, their clawed limbs twitching in anticipation.

Athena wasted no time. She raised her gun and fired. The first bullet struck the closest creature in the eye, but instead of falling, it let out an ear-piercing screech and lunged.

Xavier stepped in, his blade flashing in the dim light. One clean strike severed the creature's arm, but it didn't slow down. It took two more precise slashes before it finally collapsed, twitching as thick, dark liquid oozed from its wounds.

Athena exhaled sharply. "They're evolving."

Xavier wiped the blade on his sleeve, his smirk unwavering. "Well, isn't that exciting?"

She shot him a glare. "Not the word I'd use."

More screeches echoed through the ruins. They weren't done yet. Gritting her teeth, Athena readied herself.

The battle was just beginning.