บททั้งหมดของ Ruined by her uncle: บทที่ 11 - บทที่ 20

For weeks Lily treated Damien like he was invisible. She had perfected the art of being around him without necessarily acknowledging him or alerting the family of her on going one sided feud with him. She gave him short answers when cornered and stayed glued to Dax’s side at every gathering, placing him as a shield between her and Damien so he couldn’t get to sneak in a private moment. Damien felt the distance obviously. He watched her from across, and every time she refused to meet his eyes the ache in his chest hurt grew bigger. He missed her attention. This Sunday dinner at the Ross house was no different. The dining table was crowded. Lucien and Melanie sat across from Damien. Liam and Dax flanked Lily. Food passed around, conversation flowed easily. Lily set her fork down. “It’s so weird,” she said, voice conversational she turned to Damien. “Uncle Damien, you’ve been dating Edna for over a year and we

Edna moved in the following week. By the weekend, the Ross house no longer felt like the Ross house. Lily noticed the second she stepped through the front door for the re-housewarming party. The familiar scent of old wood, and bleach had been replaced by something bright and floral. Something vanilla and peony, and aggressively cheerful. The entryway console that had always held a crystal bowl of keys and a single framed photo of a younger Damien with his arm around Elena was gone. In its place sat a sleek white tray with a bowl of decorative stones and a vase of fresh white roses. The living room had been rearranged. The deep leather sofa Damien had owned for years was pushed against a different wall. New throw pillows in soft blush and cream cluttered every surface. The heavy drapes Elena had chosen were gone and replaced by sheer white curtains. Even the artwork had changed to abstract prints in pale gold frames where dark landscapes used to hang. Lily’s stomach tightened.

The girls’ night was Edna’s idea from start to finish. She’d planned Brunch first, then the spa, shopping, and they’d finish at the poolside lounging and drinking. All Melanie and Lily had to do was attend. Lily had almost said no. The thought of spending an entire day under Edna’s polished smile made her stomach tighten, but Melanie had given her that talk about trying for family’s sake. So Lily went. She arrived at the spa in baggy mid thigh shorts and a thin tank top that dipped low enough to show the full curve of her cleavage. Edna’s eyes landed on her breasts the second she stepped out of Melanie’s car. The older woman’s smile didn’t quite reach her eyes. “Gosh,” Edna said, voice light and bright as she pulled Lily into a quick hug. “Those must be so heavy.” She laughed, the sound tinkling and false. “I don’t know how you carry them around all day.” Melanie chuckled awkwardly. “She gets it from Lucien’s side. I was never that blessed.” Edna’s gaze dropped deliberately to her

Three Sundays in a row, Lily didn’t show up when the Ross family hosted. She never offered any sort of explanation. When it was time to go, she bailed instead. Dax still came to the Gallagher house often enough that no one thought the engagement was in trouble. But Lily’s absence at the Ross house was noticeable. She never skipped those dinners without reason. Before that Sunday when it was the Gallaghers’ turn to host, Melanie found her in the living room. “Lils, honey,” Melanie said, sitting across from her. “Why haven’t you been going to the Ross house? It’s now been three times in a row. Is everything alright?” Lily met her mother’s eyes. “Uncle Damien banned me.” Lucien, who had been standing near the windows with a glass of wine, turned. “Banned you?” “He told me I’m not welcome. I upset Edna and she asked him to keep me away. I didn’t want to make it worse by showing up and disrespecting them.” Melanie’s expression tightened. “It’s been almost two months. Surely whatever

Lily and Dax set a wedding date six months from now. They hired a wedding planner—a sharp eyed woman named Clair. She had already booked the venue, a glass walled estate overlooking the water. Invitations would go out in three months. But for now they would be going over fittings, tastings, seating charts, and floral arrangements. Lily and Melanie spent afternoons in the Gallagher living room with Claire going over spreadsheets and sample menus. Dax joined when he could, mostly nodding and saying he trusted them. Liam hovered at the edges, offering unsolicited opinions about open bars and then disappearing when the conversation got boring. Edna found out from Dax about the wedding. She called Melanie the same afternoon. “I heard the date’s set,” Edna said, voice always bright. “I’d love to be included. I want to feel like one of the Gallagher-Ross women.” Melanie was silent for a beat. “Why didn’t you just call Lily? It’s her wedding. Or Dax, at least.” “I asked Dax. He to