The Concubine

Part Five

After you had passed out, you were taken to hospital which is where you woke up while your sister held your hand.

You had no idea where you were. The hospital room was dark, lit only by a small light on the ceiling. You noticed a window, but there was no light outside. It was in the middle of the night and you had lost all sense of time when your eyes finally flickered open slowly.

'Y/N, shh, I am here' your sister said, calming you down as a sense of panic began to overwhelm you.

'Where am I?' you asked confused when you recognised your sister's voice and the shape of her face slowly came into focus.

'In hospital' your sister said calmly before telling you that you had collapsed after having lost a significant amount of blood.

After you had some time to comprehend what had happened and remembered Arthur taking you to Tommy's house, one of the nurses approached you. She sat down next to your sister and made sure that you were stable before she offered you some water.

'You haemorrhaged after a blow to your abdomen. Can you tell us what happened?' the nurse then asked as she helped you take a large sip from the cup filled with water. But, you didn't want to talk about it and you shook your head, not wanting to reveal what Steven had done to you.

'Miss, this will need to be investigated' the nurse then said, which is when an unfamiliar policeman entered the room.

'It is being dealt with nurse' the man said harshly before introducing himself as Constable Moss. Clearly, the stranger had overheard your conversation with the nurse.

'What about the...' you went on to say, but were unable to finish your sentence. You looked at the Constable, wanting him to leave and he nodded without any exchange of words, realising that he better go outside which is where he guarded the room together with a young man named Michael and Isiah.

'The baby? What about the baby?' you then asked when the man had left, causing your sister to inhale deeply while the nurse shook her head.

'I am sorry' the nurse then said and you quietly nodded as your feelings and emotions were numbed by all the morphine that had been administered to you.

'It was early, you can try again Miss' the nurse said and you couldn't help but sigh.

'The pregnancy was a mistake. It wasn't planned and I only found out about it yesterday. I was late. I wasn't going to keep the baby. I couldn't have' you mumbled as a few small tears escaped your eyes. Despite this, you were saddened and disappointed and the nurse reached for your hand and asked you whether you would like some more morphine to help you with the physical and emotional pain.

You shook your head and, just as you did, the nurse was called to another patient and excused herself.

'Y/N, it will be alright' your sister then said, wiping away your tears with a handkerchief that she was carrying.

'Nothing will be alright until I am gone. You should have just let me die and then, perhaps, you could have lived in peace instead of fear' you huffed out, knowing that Steven will not forgive what had happened and will seek revenge.

Your family had been subjected to torment for years, so why should it stop now? You believed that, after what had happened, matters would only get worse. After all, Steven's father controlled you and, unfortunately for you, you were chosen to marry him despite your father's disapproval. You had no choice. Your family owed him and this was the price you had to pay.

Steven's family wasn't rich, but they weren't poor either. His father ran two small illegal enterprises, producing liquor without a permit. His factory was small, but yet he knew men with influence and was slowly building his empire. For this reason, you thought that there was no way out, but your sister was a different opinion.

'Don't say this. It's not true' your sister said, again holding your hand. 'In fact, I believe that you will be free soon' your sister then said.

'And what makes you think that?' you huffed out.

'The child you carried, it was a Shelby and this isn't something the Peaky Blinders would forgive easily' your sister said.

'How do you know?' you asked somewhat surprised.

'How do I know that the child was a Shelby?' your sister asked, clarifying your question, and you nodded.

'Because it is Thomas Shelby who is paying the hospital bill and he was very angry when he found out about what happened to you as result of the injuries caused by Steven. So, I assumed that the child you had carried must be one of theirs' your sister said and you immediately shot up from the bed.

'He knows about the pregnancy?' you asked your sister quietly with fidgeting hands.

Without words, your sister nodded. 'He also knows about everything Steven has ever done to you. The beatings, the abuse, everything. I told him. I am sorry' your sister said after you had confided in her about everything concerning Steven over the years.

'Why would you do that?' you panicked, knowing that, if Tommy was to do something to Steven, his father would likely try to have all of your family killed.

'So, he can end this' your sister then said, holding your hand tightly. 'It needs to end Y/N' she continued on before she pushed you back against the pillows again gently before instructing you to rest.