#office setting

Your commute to work takes a shorter amount of time than you expect, the traffic being quite light. It surprises you, but you don't mind, obviously.

After parking the car, you make your way into the building, taking the cup filled with tea with you. Once you enter through the door you greet Jane like usual, having a small chat about your weekend. She tells you she spent it with her husband at their beach house. You smile, telling her that sounds very nice and continue into the building.

As you walk into your office you spot a woman sitting there. She has a tight, slicked back bun on top of her head, a brunette. Her outfit is prim and proper, a nice fitted shirt and from what you can tell a skirt. The odd thing is, well two odd things. The first is that she is sitting in your office, the second is that she is sitting in your chair. Again, you have no idea who she is.

"Can I help you?" You ask, placing your bag on Wesker's desk, seeing as your own is occupied. 

The woman looks up. "Oh, sorry, this is your spot I assume." Her voice is sickly sweet, almost fake sounding. You assume she will get up, but she doesn't. Instead she stays seated, like she owns the chair.

You continue to look at her, waiting for her to get the hint. "I'm Estella Blake, Albert told me I could wait here," she adds, reaching out to shake your hand. Deciding to be polite you reach out and shake it. "Albert?" You question. 

"Albert Wesker," she clarifies, and somehow it makes you mad. You aren't stupid, of course you know who Albert is, it's just, no one ever refers to him by his first name, definitely not strangers.

"Of course yes, but who are you?" You ask again, not really sure what relation she has to him. 

"I'm Estella, Estella Blake," she says again with a laugh. Now you think she must be stupid.

"I heard you the first time, I mean what business do you have here?" You have no patience for her anymore, just wanting your desk back so you can start your work. 

Estella laughs as if what you say is really funny. "Oh, I'm here to accompany Albert, well Wesker in your case, Tricell sent me to secure a deal." She smiles to herself as she looks at her nails. They seem freshly manicured.

Her words really make your blood boil, but you keep yourself composed. 

"What type of deal?"

Her head snaps up, like she realises she got the attention she wanted from you. "Classified I'm afraid." 

"Huh," you say, crossing your arms.

Just then Wesker comes in. As he does, it seems like Estella perks up, sitting up straighter in your chair, puffing her chest up and fluttering her lashes at him. You could laugh at the scene, but you settle for a snort instead, turning your head to avoid being seen. 

It seems like Wesker chooses to ignore it. "I see you've met my partner," he says, motioning to you. You can't help but beam at his words, just a bit. "Sorry, I told Estella she could sit in your chair while I went to sort her ID card out," he adds, sitting down at his own desk. 

You shake your head, "no worries," not really meaning your own words.

As you speak, Estella gets up. Walking over to Wesker, she places her hands on his shoulders with another fake smile, directed at you. Instantly you dislike her more. You don't like her as a person, or her personality, and you just met her.

"She will be with me the whole day."

Great, you think to yourself, just amazing. 

"I see," you say, eyeing him skeptically. "Well, I'll leave you to it then."

She seems to completely ignore you. Obviously in her own world, well, her and Wesker's world now. To emphasise that, she takes your chair and places it next to his. Then she takes a seat, leaning on his shoulder, arms wrapped around his own. If you were Wesker, Estella would have been sent out ages ago. You find it odd how Wesker hasn't done so. Instead he just doesn't care, so you tell yourself that you don't either.

It's finally lunchtime and you are so glad to finally get a small break, both from work and... a certain someone. From morning til now you have spotted Wesker and Estella a total of seven times, parading throughout the facility. Each time it seems like Estella merges further into Wesker. At first it's just a hand on his arm, then both hands, then arms wrapped fully around him. At the end of the day you worry they might actually become conjoined. You shudder at the thought, knowing you wouldn't last a single day with her in the office.

Still you can't think of why, but the whole situation just makes you uncomfortable. It's like being sick, or knowing something is really wrong, a sinking feeling in your stomach.

Your discomfort must be obvious because Jane comments on it, noticing how you glare at the two of them across the cafeteria. 

"If you had lasers instead of eyes, I'm pretty sure she would be dead by now," Jane says, pointing at Estella with her salad fork. "What do you have against her anyway? Didn't you just meet her?" She asks, placing another mouthful of salad in her mouth, chewing after. 

You look back to Jane, narrowing your eyes at her. "Her name is Estella Blake," you say, mocking her in the same tone she had told you her own name. "And I don't know," you feel slightly bad, not wanting to mock someone you just met, but she really hadn't made a good first impression. "Nothing, she hasn't really done anything that drastic, I just don't like her, or how she acts, or her personality." Shaking your head you look back to Estella and Wesker, her arms once again around his, holding it hostage. 

Jane laughs before commenting. "So you just don't like anything about her." You shrug, you can't really deny that statement.

"If I didn't know better, I would say you are jealous because she stole your man."

Your head snaps back to look at Jane, baffled at her statement. "I am not jealous, and he isn't mine, he is my co worker, my friend." You go back to eating, finishing up your meal.

"Friend...right," she says, but not adding anything more. Instead she takes another bite of her salad and continues on another topic, a book she had read recently.

As Jane continues to talk, you can't help yourself from looking across the room, eyes narrowing at the sight you have to endure for the rest of your lunch break.

After lunch you say goodbye to Jane, and once again have to emphasise that you are not jealous. She can take your words however she wants them, you don't care, right? Before returning to the office you stop in the printer room, needing some documents copied. 

You walk in and spot Estella standing there, shockingly by herself. She hasn't noticed you yet and for a moment you think to come back later. Unfortunately for you, it's too late. 

"Oh hello!" She greets you as if you are best friends. "You're the one that works for Albert, am I right?" 

You take a deep breath as you scan your card, starting the printer up. "I work with him, yes."

She taps on the printer and you are just waiting for her to mess something up. "Oh well, same thing. I do hope you don't mind I've stolen him from you today," she continues, tapping on the printer, barely missing the cancel button by a millimetre. "I imagine you can expect to see him less in the future, especially with this deal secured. He told you didn't he? We signed the contract during lunch, maybe you saw us?" 

"I think I saw you when I left," you reply, not wanting her to know it was practically impossible to miss them.

"Anyway, it was nice talking to you, I love your hair," she adds before leaving the room. There is no time to reply, but you don't want to anyway, purposefully keeping your mouth shut. Additionally, the compliment sounds entirely backhanded, not that you care what this random woman thinks.  

After picking up your fresh copies you return to your office, locking the door behind you. You really just want to get back to work, and avoid seeing Estella again.

Just as you sit down you can hear a key unlocking the door, opening with a click. Just great.

"Do you mind?" Wesker says as he enters, closing the door and locking it once again.

"If I remember correctly, this is our shared office, so no, I don't mind," you say, motioning to the room. "Your girlfriend isn't with you?" You add, curious to see what he will say to your comment.

"What girlfriend? Miss Blake you mean?" He pauses, then continues, walking around the office, pacing more like it. "Definitely not my girlfriend, and I hope no one else's, she is horrendous to be around." You know Wesker to be blunt, but this surprises even you.

"So why be around her?" You ask, watching him pace.

"The deal, I was told that I had to secure it, by pretty much any means necessary. It was the only reason I was tolerating her. I honestly have no idea how her co-workers manage. Thankfully, we secured it at lunchtime."

"So that was all just acting?" You ask, feeling like a weight has been lifted. 

He turns to face you, crossing his arms as he stands there, watching. "Pretty convincing?" He seems to ask, but continues before you can answer, walking over to stand behind you. "Jealous I was spending time with someone else but you?" He teases, placing his hands on the desk in front of you, effectively caging you in from behind. He looks at the stack of papers you are signing before sparing a glance at your face.

Suddenly you become shy, having him so close to you, it's unaccustomed, but not unwelcome. "No, definitely not."

"And you definitely aren't lying," he jokes before standing back up and returning to his chair, leaving you to hold your breath in anticipation. 

A knock can suddenly be heard from the other side of the door, followed by a very new, but very familiar voice from today. "Albert, are you there?"

Wesker's gaze locks to yours, his eyes seemingly pleading from behind his lenses, as if he is asking you to handle it.

Hesitantly you get up, walking to the door and unlocking it. "Hi," you say, greeting Estella as the door stays open, just a crack. 

Completely ignoring you, she stands on her toes, trying to get a look over you. She manages to spot Wesker 'hiding' in the corner at his desk, back turned to the both of you. 

"Albert!" Estella exclaims, pushing the door open, you along with it.

"Would you walk me to my taxi Albert? I have to leave now," she asks, pouting as she flutters her lashes in his direction. Just like she had done earlier. 

Without looking up, he answers, waving his hand dismissively. "I'm occupied at the moment, and I would prefer if you called me Wesker, like everyone else."

Like earlier in the day you snort, not able to contain yourself. Placing a hand over your mouth you turn around so she can't see you laughing. 

Estella lets out a 'humf' before marching out the door, hopefully never to be seen again.

"Amused are we?" He asks, turning his head over to look at you. 

You dry a tear from the corner of your eye before replying. "Oh, highly amused."

"She was horrendous," he says honestly, removing his glasses and rubbing his eyes.

"You don't say," you reply back, being perfectly honest.

"I hope I never have to deal with her again, I couldn't stand being referred to as Albert all day."

"That's your name though?" You say, stating that you never really hear anyone use his first name.

"Yes, but I prefer to be called Wesker," he explains, not giving you much more reasoning than that.

"And if I call you Albert?" You test, not expecting him to like that.

He shrugs, not thinking about it for more than a second. "I don't think I would mind if you did."

You can't mask your surprise, but it quickly turns into a smile. "Very well, Albert Wesker."

He just smiles, putting his glasses back on.

Next part