That casual nickname definitely got Megan’s attention. She followed Larry’s line of sight and spotted a familiar figure.
Anasta! Megan’s face scrunched up in confusion. What the hell was Anastasia doing here?
“Sorry I’m late! Did you find anything amazing?” Anastasia had just gotten back from the ladies’ room. This morning, Lancey had called, asking if she wanted to hit the shops together; Anastasia had obviously jumped at the chance. Lancey was incredibly down-to-earth and never pulled any of that stuffy mother-in-law bullshit. She was genuinely fun to hang out with. Anastasia had been kind of nervous around her at first, but after a few family dinners, they’d clicked like old friends.
Lancey was totally obsessed with Anastasia—whenever she saw something cool or delicious, Anastasia was always her first thought. Cassian had even started joking that he felt like the forgotten stepchild. But he was honestly thrilled that they got along so well.
When Anastasia walked in and spotted Megan standing next to Lancey, she did a double-take. Seriously? In a city of eight million people, she still had to run into this woman? Whatever; they had zero relationship now, so she could just pretend Megan was any random stranger.
Anastasia was looking effortlessly put together today in a champagne silk dress with minimal makeup. The dress was from a smaller designer brand, but the craftsmanship was gorgeous—easily as nice as anything from the major fashion houses. When Megan checked out Anastasia’s outfit, her expression turned nasty. She assumed Anastasia was still the same broke little nobody she’d always been. Obviously, after dumping her son, she was probably struggling even more financially.
Megan looked totally smug, like she was waiting for some kind of public embarrassment. Anastasia could practically read her mind—she knew exactly how this hitch operated. Megan had always treated her like trash; Anastasia couldn’t care less what she thought anymore. She quickly put on a pleasant smile and walked over to Lancey.
Lancey beamed and squeezed her arm affectionately. “Perfect timing! I think this dress would be absolutely stunning on you. Wanna try it?” She gestured toward a gorgeous pale blue piece—clean lines with sophisticated elegance.
Anastasia nodded. “Absolutely, let me see how it looks.” As she took the dress, she caught Megan staring at her with pure shock written all over her face.
Dumped Today, Married Tomorrow. My Overnight Wedding to a Tycoon
Anastasia headed straight for the dressing room. Megan watched her walk away, looking completely confused. She was trying to figure out why the hell Anastasia would be shopping with Lancey Rhotles, and judging by their body language, they seemed really tight.
Megan couldn’t resist asking. “Mrs. Rhodes, that young woman is…?”
Lancey’s face lit up. “Oh, that’s my darling Anal. She’s such a sweetheart—I just absolutely love that girl.”
“Your darling?” Megan was floored, clearly not expecting that response. What kind of relationship was that exactly? She couldn’t possibly be a daughter-in-law. Someone like Cassian Rhodes would never settle for someone like Anastasia. Maybe Anastasia had somehow talked Lancey into being like a mentor or something. That would actually make total sense. This Anastasia was obviously way more manipulative than she’d given her credit for—somehow worming her way into the Rhodes family’s inner circle.