Birmingham, 1919
George

Birmingham, 1919.

Anne looked at Thomas who was fast asleep beside her. Yeah, even though Thomas had never fucked her but Anne didn't mind sharing a bed with him. He felt comfortable and safe with Thomas but the vibe he had not felt until now. When he found out that Thomas was carrying Grace, there was no jealousy in his heart. What is there is curiosity. Will Thomas go back to Grace and leave her?

"So that was your ex-boyfriend last night?" anne asked at breakfast.

Thomas drank his coffee while eating his breakfast the next morning. She did not answer what Anne asked. Frankly, she doesn't know if Grace is her lover or not. She had put her feelings for Grace and slept with her but the betrayal destroyed everything.

"Are you going back to him?" ask Anne, again.

Thomas looked at Anne and stopped eating. "Stop that silly question."

"Then why did you bring him here?"

Thomas realizes bringing Grace back into his life is foolish. Because Grace was once a part of her life, by the time she found Grace in misery, she felt she had a responsibility to lift Grace out of misfortune. Although she still hasn't confirmed her feelings for Grace, it's clear that her feelings are no longer the same.

"I'll get him to work, make up for the loss he inflicted on The Blinders two years ago."

The two of them finished breakfast and then left together to the headquarters. Arriving at the headquarters, all the Scott family members have gathered plus Grace to start work. Grace looks up to Thomas with Anne. Matching and equal couples.

"Grace, come with me to my room" said Thomas.

Aunt Poly glared but could do nothing. Anne stopped at her desk and looked at Grace as she followed Thomas into her study. All family members are confused as to what to react. They slowly returned to their desks and began their daily activities.

"You're going to start working here" Thomas said firmly. "You're gonna get your salary, cut by thirty percent to cover my losses you incurred two years ago."

Grace finally breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you Tomy."

"Don't call me Tomy. Call me Thomas or Mr Scott. You are my employee now," Thomas said with a flat gaze.

Grace looked down, admitting her mistakes in the past. He fell in love with Thomas after getting to know Thomas more closely. But he had to complete his duties to the Lee Brothers otherwise his sickly mother would be killed. In the end, her mother was not saved because of her illness. Now she wants to go back to Thomas, but with her married status and the cold eyes of Thomas, her hopes of a return are tiny.

Thomas and Grace walked out of the room and all the family members stared at them.

"Aunt Poly, from now on she works here. Under your watch. Thirty percent of his salary would have been spent covering our losses two years ago" Thomas said firmly, then returned to his room.

Aunt Poly was satisfied with Thomas' decision. Grace sits next to Aunt Poly's desk and begins to get directions to work there.

"Shhh..." Adda caught Anne's attention.

Anne looked.

"Aren't you jealous?" tanya Adda shrinks her voice sabil staring across. Aunt Poly looks serious about giving direction to Grace, as well as Grace looks serious about listening.

"His squad?" Anne asked back with a shrunken sura.

Anne shakes. "I'm not jealous."

"What if Grace manages to win Thomas' heart again?"

Anne was silent for a moment. "I don't care."

Adda scrunched her forehead in astonishment. Anne felt foolish to have said that. He forgot that in front of his family he had to be seen loving Thomas wholeheartedly.

"Em. I mean, I don't care about Grace. I only care about Thomas. Take it easy, I won't make Thomas turn away from me" Anne added, blinking one eyelid.

"Ohh so," Adda nodded then went back to work.

***

Scott's family is having lunch at a restaurant in Birmingham. It was an expensive restaurant and only the rich people were there. The restaurant owner is no stranger to The Blinders. After The Blinders reunited with The Alexanders, The Blinders began to change their lifestyle patterns to become more classy. No longer like a street gangster. But more looks to be a trade entrepreneur. Surely the continuing contraband trade is not revealed to the surface.

Anne was wide-eyed at the sight of a handsome man with a formal and classy look approaching the table who was herself, her husband and her family.

"Mary Anne Alexander? Or maybe now your name is Lady Maria Anne Alexander Scott?" said the man.

All eyes were staring at the man.

"George?" anne was confused and surprised.

"How's Anne doing? Long time no see" said George with a smile.

Thomas watched the man, he had never met the man but hearing his voice felt so familiar.

"You know him?" ask Thomas.

"Ah.h..." Anne couldn't find the right word to answer.

"You must be Mr. Thomas Scott. I'm George Lincoln from Scotland. I was Anne's childhood friend. Isn't that right, Anne?"

"Ahh. yes."

Thomas immediately remembered the familiar voice. By the time she followed Anne in the library, before the wedding. He saw Anne walking towards the hallway in the corner of the library and was heard conversing with the man in such a voice. Thomas breathed.

"You want to join this table?" tawar Thomas's.

"Ah, maybe next time. I just finished lunch. Oh yeah, maybe we'll see each other a lot. I'm interested in the whiskey you make. I plan to market whiskey in Scotland. Maybe next time we spend some time together" said George then pulled out his business card, then walked out of the restaurant.

Anne was silent in confusion. The last thing she knew about George was that he was a sweet, gentle and simple ex-lover. Never had he seen George wearing such a formal suit and speaking like a gentleman of honor and wealth. The biggest question is, why did she just show up now when she was Thomas' wife? Where was she when Anne was waiting for her to run away on her wedding day a few months ago?