I nod and mirror her expression, anxious for her to ask the first question.
She goes on, “So I’m wondering, as a model on the outside, did you know about Konstantin’s actions? Was there a lot of talk in your inner circles about what he’d done?”
My face feels tight as I offer a small smile. “It was impossible not to be aware of the rumors, but I didn’t know anything for sure. No one did. The truth came out much later.”
Kyla tilts her head. “And yet, you chose to sign with the agency anyway…and become engaged to Luka, effectively binding yourself to the Zoric family and their questionable legacy.”
The hours of coaching kick in. “As you know, Kyla, KZ Modeling has effectively closed its doors for good. I signed with Danica Rose Management, the Zorics’ new agency, and the company is fully committed to upholding standards of transparency and integrity in this industry.
“Beyond that, Luka isn’t his father, and he and his brother have gone on record stating the majority of KZM staff had no knowledge of or involvement in the company’s illegal activities. With Danica Rose, Luka and Stefan are publicly moving forward to forge a legacy all their own. I’m proud to be a part of that. Professionally and also on a personal level.”
Though I know I’m performing my lines well, I feel like I’m on the witness stand, giving rehearsed testimony instead of a casual interview full of wit and cute banter. What if I’m coming across as robotic to the viewers? My face heats as I imagine how I look on camera. There’s another squeeze on my knee and I try to relax.
Kyla gives a nod, her eyebrows going up. “Before you signed on the dotted line, did you worry about long-term repercussions of the trafficking scandal, and how that might affect Danica Rose’s chances—your chances—of success?”
“I—” I look to Luka, then wonder if people might think I’m looking at him to coach me in some way. I mentally shake myself.Transparency, integrity, legacy. Stefan’s script echoes in my mind but I can’t form a sentence.
“That’s a fair question,” Luka cuts in. He lifts my hand in his own and kisses my knuckles. “To be honest, the shadow of KZM’s past was certainly a concern of mine with respect to Brooklyn’s career. A model of her talent has a world of possibilities open to her, and we did discuss how Danica Rose was just one option. But in the end, she chose us, and the agency is honored to have her. Brooklyn’s work speaks for itself, though, and she’s been in extremely high demand since signing with us. It’s clear the industry is embracing her.”
“That’s wonderful,” Kyla says. She sounds like she means it.
“I think the industry and the public are ready to move forward,” I tell her confidently. “We can’t hold the entire Zoric family accountable for what one man did.”
“So you’d go on the record saying you have full trust in Danica Rose Management?”
Trust? My stomach falls as I think about the huge lie I’m keeping. “Of course,” I say with a smile. “I absolutely trust DRM. And I trust my fiancé and the rest of his family.”
I’m careful to keep my smile schooled, though the butterflies inside me keep growing. I think back to the other day at the photo shoot when Luka and I hooked up in the supply closet. He’d been so gentle with me afterward, and the good vibe between us had followed us the rest of the day. In fact, he’s been extra attentive ever since then, including an impromptu dinner at my parents’ house where he seemed totally in his element. It’s like we’re finally connecting in a way we haven’t before. And…I like it.
I enjoy the side of Luka that asks how my day went, or what I want for dinner, or if I’m warm enough. I like it when he opens the door for me or holds my purse while I get into the car.Over the past few days, we’ve been acting like any real couple would.
“Luka, did you really have no idea what your father was up to? Was there no indication that something illegal was going on?”
The question makes my smile fall. Which isn’t a bad thing given the question, so I don’t plaster a new one on.
Luka shakes his head, his face grim. “If I’d known, I would have turned him in. No one in the family knew about it. You hear people talk about criminals leading double lives, and I guess my father was a textbook example of that. It was a shock for all of us.”
Luka may have practiced his interview questions, but the emotion in his voice is real. Suddenly, I realize I’ve never asked him how the scandal affected the rest of the family or their relationships with each other. They’ve certainly presented a unified front to clean up their image, but the news that their father was a predator must have shredded them.
“I can’t imagine what you’ve all been through,” Kyla says gently, showing some real humanity. “How would you say the scandal has affected the new modeling agency?”
Stefan is standing off to the side near one of the large windows now, observing the filming from a closer standpoint, and I catch the barest glimpse of him stiffening at the question.
But Luka remains cool and steady. “Even with the rebranding and the new company name, the bad press created a ripple effect. There’s no denying it. But the majority of our clients and models were willing to talk things through with the new management—Stefan, mainly—and give us a chance to prove that we have their best interests in mind. We’re thriving now.”
I try not to stare at my fiancé. He’s on fire. He answers so calmly and smoothly, as if giving interviews about hard topics is just something he does. From the corner of my eye, I spy Stefan nodding along approvingly.I wonder if he’s proud of how his younger brother is doing right now. The Luka in front of this camera is certainly different from the playboy, party-all-night version of himself that the media is used to seeing.
Kyla shifts in her chair, her face lighting with an animated smile. “On to something more fun. Tell me about the two of you. Where did you and Brooklyn meet, Luka?”
I snap to attention at the question. Where did we meet? Oh boy. My mouth goes dry as our eyes catch. Luka gives an adoring smile and by God, it looks genuine.As if he’s truly remembering the sweet moment he knew that I was the one and not making something up.
“We met at a runway show a few years ago,” he answers. “I knew the moment I laid eyes on Brooklyn Moss that she was special. Other models were storming down the catwalk, glaring and posing, but then Brooklyn walks toward me with this Mona Lisa smirk, like she had a secret that nobody else knew. I was a total goner.” He pauses, and Kyla smiles dreamily at him. “Then we ran into each other at the afterparty and spent the whole night together. We just…clicked.”
“People talk about love at first sight for a reason,” Kyla says with a wink.
Luka smiles and pulls me close. “We lost touch soon after that, but when we finally reconnected, I knew I couldn’t let her go again. I proposed almost immediately.”
“And I said yes,” I say with a giggle, playing my role.
