Chapter 52
Lanery was absolutely glowing. Even though she’d never had a daughter, her daughter-in-law had completely filled that void. They ended up snagging two more stunning pieces—talk about a successful shopping trip!
Megan caught her reflection in the mirror and, despite being decked out in designer labels, looked like total nouveau riche next to Lancey. Her whole aesthetic was just so…try-hard. Especially those two garish misfits Valeria had picked—inane, clashing colors that screamed “no taste.” And now Megan was starting to get annoyed with Valeria, too.
Seeing Megan’s sour expression, Valeria kept her mouth shut. She was thinking this old hat was impossible to please. But remembering her endgame with Jasper, Valeria bit her tongue.
Watching Lancey and Anastasia bounce out together, looking so happy, made Megan’s blood boil. That conniving little bitch always found a way to ruin her mood. How the hell had she managed to get Lancey wrapped around her finger like that?
Megan spun around, threw the dresses back on the rack, and stalked out. Valeria didn’t dare say a word. She’d thought this would be her chance to score major points with Megan, but somehow the woman seemed even more pissed off. This was all Anastasia’s fault. If they hadn’t run into her, none of this drama would have happened. Just her damn luck.
The jewelry competition shitstorm had finally died down. A few days later, Anastasia polished up her resume and submitted it to Rhodes Corporation’s jewelry design department. The interview request came back pretty fast.
On interview day, Anastasia wore a crisp blazer and pencil skirt combo, carrying her design portfolio into the Rhodes Corp tower. At the reception desk, she walked up with a friendly smile. “Hi there, I’m here for a designer interview.”
The receptionist gave her a once-over with a clear air of disdain. Anastasia stood there confidently. She’d kept her look professional and low-key for the interview.
“You have an appointment?” the receptionist asked flatly.
“Yep, already cleared it with HR.”
“Whatever.”
Just then, the sharp click of stilettos echoed across the marble lobby. A woman in a body-hugging white dress and red silk top strutted over, looking like she’d stepped out of a magazine. She walked like she was on a runway.
The receptionist immediately perked up. “Good morning, Ms. Caldwell.”
“Morning.” Narisen was one of the senior designers. She sized up Anastasia with obvious disdain. “Susan, since when do we let randos in here?”
“Ms. Caldwell, she’s here interviewing for a design spot.”
“Are you serious? When did we lower our standards so much that any wannabe can just walk in? What’s FIR even thinking, wasting time on people like this?”
She swished away dramatically. Anastasia had to suppress a laugh. Looked like office life was going to be a real soap opera—all drama and power plays. This job was definitely going to be interesting. But Anastasia was ready for whatever came her way. She wasn’t some fresh-faced college kid.
After Susan made the call upstairs, Anastasia headed to the elevator. Her interviewer was Barbara, the design director—a sharp, all-business woman in her forties. She was studying Anastasia’s portfolio carefully, her expression thoughtful.
“Your work is really impressive, especially these jewelry pieces. Clean lines, unique aesthetic.” Barbara looked up with piercing eyes. “But we have pretty intense standards here. It’s not just about design chops—we need people with serious market instincts and solid teamwork skills. Think you can handle that?”
Anastasia flashed a confident smile. “Absolutely. I don’t just design pretty things—I think about what customers actually want and how the market’s moving. And honestly? I think the best designs come from collaboration. I’m all about learning from the team and contributing however I can.”