Amid the chilly fall weather in Manhattan, a wave of heat and excitement filled the city as supermodels from all over the world gathered in the Big Apple to prepare for the upcoming Fifth Victoria's Secret Fashion Show. As the final show of the first phase of this globally renowned "Super Bowl of Fashion," it attracted widespread attention from global media. Alongside the tall, long-legged models that had become a common sight around Manhattan, there was also a surge in paparazzi swarming the city, further fueled by extensive media coverage of the event.
The official schedule for the show had been announced days prior: the event would take place on November 9th, with the televised broadcast scheduled for November 18th to allow ample time for post-production.
In Brooklyn, Victoria's Secret had repurposed its studio into a temporary rehearsal venue for the show. With the date drawing closer, the rehearsal schedule had become increasingly intense. Each day, the studio saw the comings and goings of Victoria's Secret Angels and celebrity guests, attracting a swarm of resident paparazzi eager for scoops.
By midday, as the Victoria's Secret Angels wrapped up their morning rehearsals and stepped out to dine at nearby restaurants, the paparazzi eagerly surrounded them.
"Linda, your good friend Naomi still isn't part of this year's Victoria's Secret show. Do you have anything to say about that? Hey, Linda, Linda…"
"Trish, Jumanji is about to be released. After this show, are you planning to focus entirely on your acting career?"
"Roberta, rumors say a stalker has been bothering you, and the police got involved. Is that true? Also, there are whispers that Disney dropped you as the lead actress for Terminator 3. What's your take on that?"
"Cindy, this is the last Victoria's Secret show of its kind. How do you feel about it? Also, in Hollywood, you haven't taken on any new projects since Fair Game. Is it because the film flopped so badly?"
"Stephanie, Guns N' Roses will be performing at the show. Have you crossed paths with Axl Rose lately?"
Outside the studio doors, the paparazzi bombarded Linda Evangelista, Cindy Crawford, Trish Goff, Stephanie Seymour, Paulina Porizkova, Roberta Chirko, and other high-profile supermodels with a barrage of questions—some gentle, some sharp, some outright provocative—as they exited.
This chaotic interaction was, in a way, a mutually beneficial arrangement.
In the modeling world, garnering media exposure is far more challenging than it is for actors or musicians. When an event offers a legitimate platform to gain visibility, anyone with a bit of sense will seize the opportunity. Even though Victoria's Secret provided meals for models rehearsing at the venue, most Angels chose to step out, welcoming the chance to be photographed.
Jian Xin and Tao Yuelai followed the stream of models as they left the studio.
By now, the two Chinese girls had become accustomed to the media frenzy, so they weren't flustered. When the paparazzi turned their cameras toward them, the two followed the media training they'd received, offering poised and practiced responses. However, compared to the overwhelming attention showered on the supermodels, the Chinese girls received far less focus.
They didn't feel disheartened, though. Just walking the Victoria's Secret runway was already an achievement that surpassed nearly all their Chinese peers trying to break into the Western fashion world.
Besides, the two girls had another source of confidence.
That man.
Though their interactions with Simon Westeros had been minimal—aside from their initial encounter, they'd only briefly crossed paths at last month's Anna Sui show, exchanging barely a few words—it didn't matter. They were well aware of the kind of man Simon was. Even in the tightly-knit circle they now found themselves in, his influence was unparalleled, and his women… were plentiful.
But so what?
Being one of Simon Westeros' women was a privilege many could only dream of.
Unhindered by paparazzi, the two girls easily boarded a waiting car. A female bodyguard, who had been quietly following them, took the passenger seat while the driver started the car after confirming their destination.
Although they had stepped out for the exposure, when it came to actually eating, the two preferred a quieter environment. They headed to a pre-booked Italian restaurant a few blocks away.
Upon being led to their reserved table, they unexpectedly spotted two other Victoria's Secret models, Roberta Chirko and Annaliese Seubert, who had also been at the rehearsal earlier.
Roberta and Annaliese, already seated, appeared slightly surprised to see Jian Xin and Tao Yuelai but quickly stood up to greet them.
After some polite exchanges, Roberta extended an invitation, and they decided to share a table.
The atmosphere soon became slightly awkward.
Roberta and Annaliese were both signed with Ford Models, which had long been a fierce rival of Elite. The two agencies had been at loggerheads for decades, though tensions had eased somewhat in recent years as Ford began to decline and Elite continued to rise.
Still, Jian Xin and Tao Yuelai knew better than to underestimate Roberta and Annaliese. Both were top-tier models, especially Roberta, who had recently garnered significant attention for her role in Spectre.
In contrast, Jian Xin and Tao Yuelai, with their non-mainstream Chinese heritage and status as newcomers, had little to show for themselves in front of these accomplished veterans—aside from one key advantage.
That man.
The four women placed their orders and continued chatting. It didn't take long for Jian Xin and Tao Yuelai to realize that Roberta and Annaliese's friendliness stemmed from none other than Simon Westeros.
In their world, certain things were easy to discern. For instance, you could gauge a woman's connection to Simon simply by checking if she was accompanied by Westeros family bodyguards. So much so that some desperate actresses or models had even hired imposters to pose as Westeros bodyguards to gain clout.
While the real bodyguards didn't always wear uniforms—after all, even Simon wasn't foolish enough to flaunt his influence too blatantly—they were still easily distinguishable. And, honestly, two Chinese rookies who had just started their careers in the U.S. had no chance of landing a spot on the coveted Victoria's Secret runway without powerful backing.
Understanding the underlying motives, Jian Xin and Tao Yuelai remained composed. After discussing the morning rehearsal, Jian Xin complimented Roberta, saying, "Yuelai and I both saw your performance in Spectre, Roberta. It was amazing. I heard you're in talks for Terminator 3. Has that been confirmed?"
Roberta's expression faltered slightly, betraying her disappointment despite her best efforts to conceal it. She shook her head. "Disney is still considering it."
Jian Xin and Tao Yuelai, though unfamiliar with Hollywood politics, could sense from her demeanor that things weren't going well.
In truth, the Terminator 3 situation had been a thorn in Roberta's side for months.
Arnold Schwarzenegger had secured the rights to the Terminator franchise from Danelys and Fox and quickly partnered with Disney. With Vivendi, Disney's parent company, personally greenlighting the project, Terminator 3 was well into development. The script was finished, and the film's primary antagonist was confirmed to be a female Terminator.
But that's where the problems began.
While Roberta's performance in Spectre had been impressive, her role had amounted to less than ten minutes of screen time. For a film with a budget destined to exceed $100 million, Disney and Vivendi executives felt she lacked the star power to carry the lead role of the female Terminator, a character set to rival Schwarzenegger's.
As a result, after initial discussions, Disney's interest in Roberta cooled.
To make matters worse, Disney hadn't officially rejected her but instead left the door open, saying they were "considering" her. This noncommittal stance left her in limbo, while rumors linking her to the role continued to generate media buzz. Though frustrating for Roberta, the speculation helped keep Terminator 3 in the headlines.
Roberta had made several attempts to secure the role.
During Paris Fashion Week, she managed to meet Jean-Marie Messier, Vivendi's CEO, at a party. The powerful executive showed considerable "interest" in her, groping her at the event and inviting her back to his place to "talk."
However, when Roberta brought up Terminator 3, Messier skillfully deflected the topic.
Roberta, no stranger to such tactics, knew better than to waste her time. Men like Messier were a dime a dozen in the industry—those who wanted something for nothing. Without any clear promises from him, she wasn't about to give anything away.
After another dinner arranged by Messier's assistant a few days later, where the topic of Terminator 3 was again avoided, Roberta finally gave up.
Now, unless a miracle occurred, it seemed unlikely she would land the role.
As she chatted with Jian Xin and Tao Yuelai, the thought of Simon Westeros inevitably resurfaced in Roberta's mind.
Her role in Spectre had been handpicked by him, and she had assumed he would take a personal interest in her. She had even prepared herself mentally—being Simon Westeros' lover wasn't something to be ashamed of, given his status.
But as time went on—the film was shot, released, and even its hype had faded—Simon had shown no special interest in her.
Roberta had even tried a roundabout approach, attempting to infiltrate the smaller circle of
Simon's close female companions, which included the likes of Nadja Auermann, Trish Goff, and Fernanda Lima. She hoped to gain more opportunities to interact with him.
Unfortunately, that group was notoriously exclusive and highly protective of their positions.
It made sense. After all, there was only one Simon Westeros, and even the current group of women struggled to share his attention. Why would they let an outsider in?
Now, seeing the two inexperienced Chinese girls gave Roberta a renewed sense of hope. By the time lunch was over, the four women were chatting like old friends.
As they left the restaurant, Roberta casually suggested, "Jian, Yuelai, tomorrow's Saturday. How about we go shopping together?"
Far from home, it was natural to want more friends.
Even though Jian Xin suspected Roberta's intentions, she hesitated only briefly before agreeing. "Sure, but we probably won't be free until the afternoon. We have a photoshoot scheduled in the morning."
Roberta felt a pang of envy.
Having work scheduled on a Saturday indicated that Elite highly valued the two girls—or, more likely, Simon Westeros did. Restraining her curiosity, she didn't press for details about the shoot. Instead, she smiled warmly. "Great! In the evening, we could go to Broadway and see a play. The stage adaptation of The Man from Earth, which Simon personally co-wrote last year, just opened and has been getting rave reviews."
Jian Xin initially wanted to decline the Broadway outing—she and Yuelai, despite improving their English, still struggled with advanced dialogue. However, hearing that it was a play Simon had co-written piqued her interest, and she agreed.
As they left, Roberta and Annaliese headed to their own car while Jian Xin and Yuelai got into theirs.
Roberta couldn't help but feel another twinge of envy as she noticed their car.
Although both she and Annaliese had reached the "Supermodel" tier on the Igrette fashion rankings, the sheer number of supermodels in the industry diluted its significance. Apart from the very top tier, earnings for the rest often fell short.
They certainly couldn't afford personal chauffeurs or dedicated assistants like Jian Xin and Yuelai.
While they could technically hire someone for a few tens of thousands of dollars annually, modeling was an unstable career. A model could earn millions one year and fade into obscurity the next. The long-term expense simply wasn't feasible.
In short, they just didn't have enough money.
Meanwhile, in their car, Tao Yuelai glanced in the rearview mirror at Roberta and Annaliese before turning to Jian Xin. "Jian, don't you think they're intentionally trying to get close to us?"
Jian Xin took out a compact mirror from her Hermès bag and began touching up her makeup. "Of course, I know."
"Then why…"
"Because we need friends, too," Jian Xin said as she applied her lip gloss. Pausing briefly, she added, "You've probably noticed by now that Trish Goff and the others are all Simon's women. They've made no effort to include us. So why shouldn't we build our own circle?"
Among the three Chinese girls, 22-year-old Tao Yuelai was the eldest, but her reserved and gentle personality made her the least assertive. Hearing Jian Xin's explanation, she seemed to understand but was reluctant to accept the implications.
Noticing her hesitation, Jian Xin shot her a sidelong glance and smirked. "What's there to be embarrassed about? The three of us were together the first time, remember? Mo Mo isn't here now, but if we add a couple more to our group, maybe Simon will pay more attention to us. Months without seeing him—aren't you worried he'll forget about us entirely?"
Tao Yuelai remained silent for a moment.
Sensing her unease, Jian Xin continued, "If you want to end things with Simon, it's actually quite simple. Remember what Ms. Davis told us? All we have to do is dismiss the bodyguards he assigned to us. But think about it, Yuelai—without Simon's backing, could we really survive in this industry? Sure, we might keep going for a while, but you've seen how things work here over the past few months. This industry is cutthroat. Without him, landing jobs, securing endorsements, even getting decent photoshoots—all of it would come at a price. Designers, executives, photographers—they'd all take advantage of us. Some would even expect us to sleep with them. Wouldn't it be better to belong to just one man—Simon? It's simple logic, and I know you understand that."
After a brief silence, Tao Yuelai finally asked, "Jian, have you thought about when this will all end?"
"Of course. You know the company's plan for us. The focus is still on China. Like tomorrow's photoshoot—it's meant to be published in Chinese media to build our profile. Besides the investments Ms. Gill has set aside for us, I'm planning to start my own fashion brand while modeling. You know I studied fashion design, right? Granted, it was just vocational school, but with Simon's influence, I can now aim higher. I've already set my sights on Parsons School of Design here in New York. They've produced so many top designers. After a few years of training and building my business, I'll have a career to fall back on even if I leave him. I'll still live well."
Hearing this, Tao Yuelai felt a sense of confusion.
Her life had always been smooth sailing—until now. At 22, she had never needed to set clear goals for herself.
Jian Xin, finishing her makeup, noticed Yuelai's dazed expression and laughed. "If you're unsure about what to do, why not partner with me? After all, you're the most educated among us. A college degree beats me and Mo Mo, even if it's in civil engineering. But seriously, why civil engineering? You're a girl."
"My dad chose it for me. He's a bridge engineer."
"Well… whatever. It's still better than what Mo Mo and I had. Let's start a business together."
Tao Yuelai hesitated, worried she'd become a burden instead of a help.
But Jian Xin quickly scooted closer, affectionately wrapping her arm around Yuelai's waist. "Don't overthink it. It's settled. We're sisters, aren't we? Remember, we've even sworn an oath together."
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