Blackened Heart- Tommy Shelby

Wiser

To make matters worse as soon as Olivia had arrived home she had been summoned to her parents for a family dinner. This could only mean one thing, more bad news.

Pulling herself together she smoothed down her hair and fixed her face, covering her red cheeks until she was somewhat presentable for her mother.

As soon as she arrived at the house she was pulled into the drawing room by her parents, her mother was completely furious and her father was stood out of the firing line just waiting for hell to break loose.

"Why the hell is Mr Shelby naming that damned children's hospital after you?" Her mother hissed, her eye blazing with embarrassment.

Olivia internally cringed but kept her face composed "I don't know mother. I just found out this morning" she hit back before taking a seat, suddenly becoming unsteady on her feet.

"Are you with this man?" Her father asked from the back, his tone low and cold.

"No!" She snapped "I am certainly not so you both can save your judgment for someone else"

"Don't you dare take that tone with me Olivia" her father bristled as he clutched his whiskey glass. The same man that abandoned a shooting when he had a duty of care.

Olivia threw him a dirty look, suddenly feeling like a teenager who had been caught sneaking out but she refused to back down. This wasn't her fault nor her responsibility.

"Why would be do it then Olivia?" Her mother asked as she took the sofa across from her.

"In his mind he's repaying me for saving his life" she lied and tried to shrug it off but the pain she had experienced earlier today was still raw.

Watching as her mother shared a look with her father she knew that neither of them believed her weak excuse. Knowing that they wouldn't be happy that her name was associated with The Shelby's she suddenly felt slight smugness, she wouldn't be the only one dealing with frustration today.

"Could he not send flowers?" Her mother spat, her vitriol clear as it was night. Olivia's mother had been burned, her curiosity killing the cat after attending the ball that Michael had been shot at.

"Oh he did, many to be intact" she replied smugly "I did warn you mother, this mess would of been avoided if Dr Sailes had never been hired in the first place"

"You're saying that this all started from that moment?"

"If his care had been correct Mr Shelby would feel no need to thank me" she picked up her glass and took a hefty sip "Since he has been adamant to court me and if I remember correctly mother it was you that suggested he take me to-"

Mary Hopkins jumped up "I didn't realise he was trying to court you Olivia. I thought it was a simple thank you"

"Mary" he father started "A man like that is never simply into just courting"

"Can we not talk about this anymore?" She groaned as she stood up, dying to leave the room and the seething stare coming from her mother.

"You need to get your name off that building Olivia. We don't want our good name being associated with the likes of them" her mother snapped before picking up her drink and waltzing out of the room.

——-

Tommy sat back at his old desk and looked around. It felt like years since had sat there and plotted but when in fact it had only been four. A lot had changed in his life since then and this small moment of quiet helped him to understand just how much he had accomplished.

Lighting up a cigarette he looked out into the betting den and saw his brother Arthur making his way in.

"Arthur" he greeted with a stiff nod, still not pleased with his brothers latest antics against The Lee family.