That afternoon, the weather shifted from cloudy to clear.
On the upper floors of the Fourth Times Square Building, the Vogue logo shimmered brilliantly in the sunlight.
March had arrived, and the American edition of Vogue was preparing to shoot its new cover.
For this issue, Vogue had invited three of last year's top supermodels: Kate Kelly, Gisele Bündchen, and Karolina Kurkova.
"Alright, ladies, focus up! Show us your absolute best!"
In the magazine's studio, renowned photographer Mario Testino aimed his camera at the stage.
The three supermodels were dressed in the stylish outfits they represented, each exuding elegance and uniqueness.
At the center was Gisele, who had already been chosen as the magazine's Model of the Year.
To her sides stood the Ice Queen Kate Kelly and the Czech beauty Karolina Kurkova.
Last year, Kate graced the Victoria's Secret runway and landed major campaigns with Chanel and Louis Vuitton. Her rising fame even earned her the nickname "Superwoman."
At just 19, KK, Karolina, had won the prestigious "VH1 Model of the Year Award," making her the youngest model to top the MDC website's rankings. She was a force to be reckoned with.
However, both were overshadowed by Gisele, Leonardo DiCaprio's new girlfriend, who had secured numerous endorsements.
The tension was palpable as the three posed in front of the camera, each trying to outshine the other.
"Perfect, just perfect!"
Mario Testino was about to press the shutter when he suddenly frowned.
"Kate, please step back half a step."
"What?"
Kate froze, glancing to the side, noticing that at some point, Gisele had slightly stepped back, making herself more prominent in the shot.
Cursing silently, Kate realized she had been outmaneuvered. Everyone was focused on posing, and she hadn't noticed Gisele's sly move, which shifted the attention to her.
As she was about to step back, Gisele smirked and said, "No need, Mario. Kate's a great writer, we should respect that, right?"
Boom.
The studio staff burst into laughter.
Everyone knew Kate's book, *Twilight*, had flopped, selling just a few thousand copies a day.
Rumors circulated that Kate had bought many of those copies herself, desperate for the "famous author" title, which fueled stories about her vanity and inflated sense of worth.
In this industry, gossip spread fast, and everyone knew about the rivalry between Kate and Gisele, making them all eager to witness the drama.
Hearing the laughter, Kate's face turned from red to pale, her expression gradually freezing into an icy glare.
She had endured her fair share of mocking remarks due to the failure of *Twilight*, but they were mostly whispered behind her back.
This, however, was the first time someone had humiliated her so openly.
Kate raised an eyebrow slightly, then sneered, "Thanks, Gisele. Although I might not be much of a writer, at least I'm not someone who can't even spell their own name right."
"You!"
Gisele's face darkened. Years ago, she had made an embarrassing spelling error, and no one had mentioned it for a long time. Kate bringing it up now was a direct hit.
Furious, Gisele clenched her fists, ready to lash out, but then her eyes sparkled with a sudden idea, and she yelled, "Ah! Kate, what are you doing? Are you going to hit me?"
"What?"
Kate was caught off guard.
"Kate! What's going on here?"
At that moment, a middle-aged woman with a plain face but exquisite makeup entered the room. This was none other than Anna Stewart, the editor-in-chief of *Vogue*'s American edition.
Since taking on the role in 1988, Anna had been a major force in the fashion world, often referred to as the "unofficial mayor of New York" and the inspiration behind the character in *The Devil Wears Prada*.
She glanced at the stage, noticing Kate's clenched fists and icy demeanor, while Gisele stood there clutching her chest, looking startled.
Annoyance flickered in Anna's eyes.
Everyone in the industry knew about the ongoing feud between Kate and Gisele.
Reportedly, Gisele had snatched a major opportunity from Kate early in her career, sparking a rivalry that had lasted for years.
Despite this, Gisele's wit had always kept her a step ahead of Kate, who struggled to keep up.
Now, their feud had escalated right in front of her.
Anna let out a light huff, casting a displeased glance at Kate. In her eyes, a model aspiring to be a writer was nothing short of ridiculous.
"Kate, you'll stand in the third position. Continue the shoot."
"Got it."
Kate responded, her eyes flashing with a hint of coldness.
Originally, she and Karolina were both considered second in line, but Anna's words had pushed her down to third place.
This was a clear indication of Anna's support for Gisele.
"Good afternoon, Ms. Stewart."
Gisele smiled, casually tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, greeting the editor.
Anna acknowledged her with a slight nod, giving Kate one last pointed look before exiting the studio.
"Mario, we're ready to shoot," Gisele said, a smug tilt to her chin.
"Kate, are you prepared?"
Mario asked.
Kate clenched her fists once more, then turned toward the camera.
Though furious, she knew she had to finish the job. In the fashion world, those who crossed Anna Stewart never fared well. She had no choice but to bear it.
Click, click.
Shooting a cover photo is relatively simple. Though they spent the entire afternoon posing, the crucial moments only lasted a few seconds.
Kate, however, wasn't pleased with the results. Gisele's earlier maneuvering had thrown off her posture and energy, and it showed in the photos.
Frustrated, Kate requested a reshoot, but her suggestion was coldly dismissed.
"Nina, cancel all future work with *Vogue*," Kate declared as she stormed out of the studio, wearing a simple white suit and high heels clicking sharply against the floor.
"Kate, don't say such things!"
Nina quickly tried to calm her down.
But it was too late.
This was *Vogue* headquarters, and a few people with staff badges happened to be passing by.
Nina's expression darkened.
If this got back to Anna, there'd be no avoiding the fallout.
Kate regretted her outburst for a moment, but it was too late to take it back. She shrugged, thinking, *If things go south, I'll just head back to Brazil with Luca.*
Luca's support had made her bolder, more fearless.
"Nina, don't worry about it. Let them spread the word."
Nina shook her head slightly, "When are you going to stop being so impulsive?"
Kate laughed, "That'll never change—then I wouldn't be Kate, would I?"
With a shrug, Kate stepped into the elevator, heading down to the parking garage.
But sometimes, rumors travel faster than bullets. As soon as Kate stepped out of the elevator, she ran into Gisele coming out of the adjacent one.
"Ha! Kate, I heard you're planning to cut ties with *Vogue*. Wow, you're really something!" Gisele laughed gleefully.
Her assistant and agents all wore smug, mocking smiles.
Crunch.
Kate slammed her heel down hard.
"Nina, I'm not holding back this time."
But Nina was distracted, already thinking about how to manage the PR fallout from Kate's earlier outburst.
Kate mistook her silence as permission and immediately kicked off her heels, ready to take on Gisele and her entourage.
Suddenly, a swarm of reporters burst in from outside, cameras and microphones at the ready.
"There she is!"
"Kate's over here!"