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Everybody knew that being in the Shelby family was difficult enough, not to mention growing up as the youngest Shelby sister. Elliana Shelby was accustomed to the rules and regulations that came along with her famous surname, but it wasn't until her older sister Ada moved down to London that she became fully aware of the extreme surveillance and protection that her brothers thrust upon them.
Elliana was only a few years older than Finn, reaching the young age of nineteen that very year. It was unmistakeable to say that she was closest to her youngest brother; she rarely spoke to the older three. They always seemed much to busy to even look at her, either focused firmly on the business or analysing Ada's movements. The last time she'd held a conversation with them was on her 18th birthday, and they'd only remembered that due to Polly's constant reminders.
Elliana didn't mind of course. Growing up, she managed to stay out of the spotlight, and it came to the point where many people often thought she had vanished into thin air. If it wasn't for Finn and Isaiah, Elliana wouldn't be able to survive in Small Heath. It was painfully dull and dismal, but fortunately those two boys sprinkled a little joy into her otherwise uneventful life.
Just as she did every morning, the Shelby arose from her bedroom to see that Tommy had already left, without so much as a goodbye or a note. The distance from her family didn't upset her, yet she couldn't deny that she was bothered by it. Elliana understood that she wasn't that important to the family, and she was used to it. Nonetheless, the thoughts drifted from her mind as she gingerly entered the betting shop, ready for a long day balancing the books.
The blonde was relatively shy and therefore preferred not to talk to many, so Polly had managed to snuffle her a private office where she could complete her work in peace. That arrangement had continued for nearly two years, until one unsuspecting day when Elliana's life changed, and she couldn't say it was for the better.
That eventful day when Polly's son, Michael, returned, her life seemed to go downhill very fast. For one, they were shoved together in the close captivity of her office, and as much as Elliana tried to be polite, he never failed to snap at her. He saw her as an easy target, someone to take his anger out on without any consequences.
At first, Elli remained calm and conserved, trying to excuse his outbursts due to the stress and unfamiliarity of his surroundings. She had never been an argumentative girl at all and tried to avoid confrontation where she could. Yet, as the weeks turned to months she found it harder to withhold her opinion that was just praying to erupt out from within her chest.
It seemed that a certain, chilly Tuesday in October was her final straw. The clock had struck 5:30pm and there was still no sign of him. Elliana was more than glad of his absence, and she'd fortunately got a lot more work done than usual. However, her luck seemed to diminish as only minutes later, Michael sauntered in gingerly, not even attempting to be quiet as she counted through the books.
"What's this?" His untouched work sat guiltily on his desk, as he glanced between the large pile and the focused blue-eyed blonde sat by the window. She stared over at him with a puzzled expression as he slouched down into his seat with a huff, "It's your work?"
