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The Ball

It took weeks and Elise didn't know how but Tommy managed to get Maeve into one of the orphanages the Shelbys ran. Even though Maeve's biological father and Sarah the woman from CPS hadn't shown their faces or made any public moves, it would be foolish to think that Maeve wasn't under some form of surveillance, so they still had to play it safe.

Tommy decided to hold a charity ball for The Grace Shelby Institute, the overarching organisation that ran their orphanages. It was the perfect cover to give Elise a few moments with Maeve and Tommy had no doubt the ball would be a busy and popular affair. MPs and rich people alike looked for any excuse to get drunk and high and if they had to write a cheque for a couple of thousand pounds to get the opportunity then they considered it a good investment.

There would be a brief moment before the actual ball starts where the children would be brought over to give thanks in person and there is where Elise and Maeve will meet.

.•° ✿ °•.

The morning of the ball, Elise returned to her room after breakfast with Tommy and Charlie to find a large dress box on her bed with a ribbon tied around it. Having an inkling of what was in there already, Elise undid the ribbon and pulled off the lid to find a ball gown in a lovely blush pink that complimented her skin tone.

Elise pulled it out of the box and held it against her body, unable to help the smile that grew on her face and she admired herself in the mirror for a couple more minutes before she carefully placed the dress back in the box and left her room to find Tommy.

She found him in his office and poked her head in after she had knocked and he motioned her to come in all the way.

"Is everything alright?" Tommy asked with a raised brow.

Elise nodded and shot him a small smile, "I just wanted to thank you for the dress, it's gorgeous"

"No need to thank me, it was no problem"

Elise crept closer to him so that she was by his side at his desk, "You always say that but I think everyone deserves acknowledgement and praise every so often, even you."

Elise wasn't blind, she knew there were deeper levels to The Shelby Company and despite how hard Tommy tried to pass things off as simply having the power as a PM, she had seen glimpses of whatever was going on under the surface whether it be exchanged looks or a slip of the tongue. Admittedly she was curious but she feared what would happen if she would ever discover the truth, she could lose what she had left which was very little without Maeve and besides if whatever they were doing underground could help her take Maeve back, she'll happily turn a blind eye towards it.

Tommy leant back in his chair, "You believe that?"

"Well not everyone" Elise huffed with a roll of her eyes, "but you do"

Tommy took a moment before he replied, "Why?"

"Because no one else would do even a fraction of what you've done for me. I'm not just talking about the current situation but before that, you treated me better than anyone else has before" Elise stepped closer to Tommy so that their legs were brushing against each other, "Anyhow, I know you're not a man who takes compliments well so that's why I promise to only do it every so often"

Tommy can't help the grin that pulls at his lips slightly but he doesn't let it bloom into a full smile.

Elise spies it with a small smile on her lips before she moves back and starts to walk out of Tommy's office, just before she closes the door behind her she calls back into the room, "I saw that!"

Tommy stares at the closed door for a couple more minutes, thoughts of Elise running through his mind.

.•° ✿ °•.