𝐁𝐀𝐂𝐊 𝐓𝐎 𝐁𝐋𝐀𝐂𝐊 ʲᵒʰⁿ ˢʰᵉˡᵇʸ

- 𝟎𝟏𝟓

𝐁𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐓𝐨 𝐁𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐤
-𝟎𝟏𝟓-

"Where's daddy?" Francesca whined with her arms crossed. "I don't know!" Valerie cried out after her daughter asked the question for the third time that hour. "He's not here and i'm not sure when he will be, Franny." Valerie explained.

"Mrs Shelby.." Mary appeared at the door. "Your father is here."

Valerie sighed in relief. "Send him in." She nodded. Seconds later, Robert entered and Francesca practically ran to him. "Grandad!" She said excitedly. Robert placed a kiss on her forehead and sat down. "Take a breath, Valerie."

She held her head in her hands before running a hand through her hair. "It's not looking good, Dad. It doesn't feel good. At least not anymore." She said. "Tommy is no husband of mine. He does not care for me but instead the women he can pay to lay beside him." She said. "He was the one who wanted me out of that business but yet goes searching for it."

"Then it is a fault of his own. He should see what he has in front of him." Robert paused. "What will you do about it?" He asked.

Valerie shook her head. "I'm not sure. I cannot.. leave him. He is Francesca's father." She winced. "The girl knows no different." She added. "All he does is work and work and work. It isn't healthy for him or our marriage."

"You're exactly right." Robert agreed. "Maybe you can't leave him. At least not yet." He said. "When Francesca is old enough and you are ready, I think you need to tell John." He said.

"But what if Francesca does not wish to see him as a father?"

"She's too young to understand. She will not care to ask. You don't have to tell her straight away. Just when the time is right. Perhaps in a few years. Just tell her true father. The longer you leave telling him, the more it could hurt when the truth comes out."

-

Valerie sat in the drawing room with a glass of wine in hand. She stared at the candles that were burning on the table. She snapped her head toward the door when it swung open.

Men stormed in. Valerie gasped and stood, looking around and trying to think about where she had left her gun. "I have a daughter.." she said with panic, backing away. One grabbed her and forced her hands behind her back. "Get off me!" Valerie screamed as she was dragged out.

"Dad!" She shouted. Robert appeared at the top of the stairs and his eyes widened. "Get your hands off her!" he tried to run down the stairs as she was dragged outside. "Dad, don't let them get to Francesca! Go to Francesca!" She cried out.

Robert hesitantly ran back up the stairs to Francesca's room whilst Valerie was shoved into a car.

"What are you doing? Who are you?" She asked, moving her hair from her face.

"You are being arrested for the murder of Peter Hays."

-

Valerie was thrown into a cell and she groaned in pain. She scurried to her feet when a man walked in. He held a cane in one hand and wore a sly grin on his lips.

"So you're Tommy Shelby's wife?" He asked. She breathed heavily, chest heaving up and down quickly. "What do you want?" Valerie asked. The man looked her up and down. "I want to know what he's planning." He said.