Ada

October 1996

Chaosia woke up slowly, which in itself was odd. Usually, when she regained consciousness it was instantaneous . . . she rarely ever got to wake up in stages. Or savor actually being able to lounge and enjoy the sensation. She opened her eyes briefly before stretching and rolling over, snuggling back into the cream and bluish gray covers. She moved, her eyes darting around the room as she gathered her bearings; cheeks flushed bright red as she heard the water in her bathroom running. Screw red, she knew they were probably magenta at this point.

She sighed, running a hand down her face as she bit her lip. Albert had spent the night-again. And was, apparently, making use of her shower before she had to get ready to go into work. She shifted, sitting up only to realize she was wearing his STARS shirt, the fabric rumpled and wrinkled. And the only thing she was wearing.

It was odd to be lounging in bed while her lover showered in the other room but it was nice. She rolled, settling into the covers a little deeper as her eyes started to close again. She'd never guessed that things would turn out like this for her and Albert but she was glad they had. She'd been introduced to his friends-William and Annette and their daughter Sherry. And he'd finally admitted that he wanted to be with her, in this relationship-instead of exploring their natural chemistry or whatever he'd tried to cop to before.

And in the weeks since things had been wonderful-almost perfect.

One of the cellphones on the dresser started to ring, buzzing across the smooth wooden top as she rolled her eyes. The water was still running in the bathroom and since she was-technically- still asleep she wasn't responsible for answering their phones. A few moments later it stilled, letting her almost drift off again. But that only lasted a few seconds. She sighed, laying her head in her hands as a phone started ringing-again.

She groaned, pushing out of the bed before moving to answer it. Only to stop when she realized it was Albert's phone that was ringing and not hers. She bit her lip, glancing to the closed bathroom door; steam billowing from underneath letting her know he was still wasting her hot water. She rolled her eyes, picking the phone up and answering it; pressing it to her ear as she spoke.

"Hello?"

"Albert Wesker. Now."

She raised a brow, the female voice on the other end of the line making every hair on her body stand on end. Whoever this was sounded like they lived, breathed and oozed sex . . . and they were asking for her fucking lover. She rolled her eyes, biting her tongue as she realized this was probably someone for work. She'd heard plenty of the women within the Mayor's office try to sound sensual when they answered the phone. God now she was his bed warmer and his secretary, what's next? Cook and maid?

"I'm sorry but he's in the shower. I'll have him return your call as soon as he gets out. He has your number right?"

The woman on the other end snorted, laughing darkly into the phone before she answered. And Chaosia felt herself start to get angry. She didn't know who this woman was but she didn't like the sound of her. Or how she made her feel like she was missing something-something huge.

"Oh he does. He knows me very well, actually. But who pray tell are you? An assistant?"

Chaosia straightened, her shoulders stiffening as her voice dropped; and she knew from the shocked gasp the other woman let out that what she'd said hadn't been expected.

"Albert's girlfriend."

And with that she hung up, tossing the phone back onto the dresser just as Albert stepped out of the bathroom. He had his pants on and one of her towels tossed around his shoulders, his hair damp and slicked back away from his face as he used the edge of the towel to dry his chin. He raised a brow, stepping to her as she moved to meet him. She stretched up as he stopped in front of her, her fingers tracing the beads of water trailing down his chest as his hands settled on her hips.

"What have you been up to, Dear heart? You seem far too innocent at the moment . . ."

She shrugged, her arms reaching up to loop over his shoulders; it becoming harder and harder to fight her grin as he looked to her skeptically. He tugged her into him a little closer, his own face relaxing as she spoke; a smirk tugging at his lips as he shrugged his brows.

"Oh nothing, just dealing with rude people on the phone. I found your shirt."

"So I see . . . Well as nice as it looks on you I'm afraid I must request its return. Especially if you want to go to lunch before you go into work."

She smiled, shaking her head as she stretched up; ghosting her lips over his as she teased him.

"What if I don't want to go to lunch, Albert? What if I just wanted to stay with you until I absolutely had to go in?"

Something he easily returned as he raised a brow, his own grin darkening. He dipped, his mouth moving over hers as he started moving her back towards the unmade bed. When the backs of her knees hit the mattress he nudged her back, falling easily between her spread legs as he kissed her. Nipping at her jaw and neck as he chuckled.

"Oh really? Well I think we can arrange that Dear heart . . . easily."

Hours later Chaosia sighed as she stepped out and into the surprisingly brisk night air. She closed her eyes, fighting the urge to reach into her pocket book and pull out the almost depleted pack of cloves. She'd bought them before she'd gone to the lake . . . and after she'd been awarded her last doctorates she'd promised herself she wouldn't buy another pack.

But now with only four left it was getting harder not to break down and sneak a new one. Especially after nights like tonight. She'd only had two cases- one the suspected (well confirmed) victim of carbon monoxide poisoning and the other the fifty seven year old victim of the motorcycle he had no clue how to drive. And while it hadn't been a particularly bad night her mind had kept going back to the odd woman that had called this morning.

When she'd been with Albert she'd forgotten but without him to occupy her she was starting to ponder who the woman had been. She'd sounded too familiar, too alluring to not have been intimately acquainted with Wesker-or at least not trying to be. Maybe she was an ex? Chaosia shook her head, moving closer to her car as she sighed. But when she was only a few steps away she realized that there was someone leaning against her Chevelle.

Correction: There was an odd woman leaning against the front quarter panel of her Chevelle.

She slowed, her hand sliding into her purse as she dug her keys, making sure to lace the metal through her fingers like claws as she kept her hand in her bag. But as she got three steps from her car the woman pushed away from her Chevelle, giving her a come-hither smile as she smoothed her hands down the front of her red silk dress.

The woman was gorgeous with dark hair, tanned skin and just enough of an Asian hint to her features to make her seem exotic. She smiled, her lips spreading wider; revealing straight white teeth as her bright eyes roamed her. And Chaosia suddenly felt like she was being judged. She stopped, refusing to step closer as the woman spoke. Her voice making her blood run cold.

This was the same woman that had called this morning-here, leaning against her car like she fucking owned it.

"Dr. Shaw I presume."

Chaosia nodded, her eyes narrowed as she tracked the woman's movements. But her fury started to boil at what she said. How dare she? She knew she wasn't some exotic siren like the woman in front of her but she wasn't a slouch!

"I must say I'm almost insulted. You are not what I was expecting to be Albert's girlfriend. At all."

She glared, growling through clenched teeth.

"Just who in the fuck are you?"

The woman grinned, chuckling before she smiled again. And Chaosia decided-as the woman practically purred her answer that she hated her. Because she knew that this woman-this Ada Wong was going to destroy her life. She just didn't know how.