We have only been engaged for nearly a month and it feels like an eternity. Anything that we have done has been a movement towards the wedding, at least according to the press that's what it was. However in reality nothing had begun to be planned. We hadn't even set a date. There was no rush in getting married. If you're going to be together forever why is it such a rush to get the wedding over with?

Just when you think it has calmed down and no one really cares about it, you get stories that are so far left field that you have no clue how that could even remotely be close to any kind of truth.

My level headed assistant who is normally bubbly and cheerful isn't as cheerful as she walks into my office with a concerned look on her face. I knew there was something wrong. I knew that she has something major to drop into my lap. She shuts the door behind her and sits down, sitting quietly for a moment attempting to collect her thoughts.

"Don't look at me like that." I say to her sarcastically.

She begins to fidget with the folder she has on her lap. "I have some news."

"I knew it was something. What is it?"

"Well I said some things to Nicole that I shouldn't have said and well..."

"Nicole Cunningham?" I snicker.

"Yes. I said some things about Justin and you. Very minor, just stating that I thought you guys was great together, that he was a great guy, and I could see you guys together forever. And that I hoped things from the past wouldn't hurt your current relationship." Her head is lowered and she can't look at me. "Well I guess that was a red flag for her and she made some accusations to me and I denied them all because they were all untrue. Well... this morning I get a phone call from someone at In Touch and they have a source that is claiming that Justin has been sleeping with his current fiancé's co workers, and he slept with her assistant."

"Okay?" I didn't believe a word of it.

"Those are the exact accusations that Nicole claimed to me. She said she thought by the comments I had made that I was referring to a past with him or whatever. But I can stand here and tell you with one hundred percent confidence that I have never slept with Justin."

"When is the story coming out?" I asked.

"Tomorrow... I have a copy of the cover they sent over along with the article."

I drop my head into my hand as I see the actual cover. It's a picture of Justin from what looks like six or eight months ago in a club talking to someone. I felt a migraine starting to form. "Do you think it was Nicole that went to the magazine?"

"I think if it wasn't her then it was someone she gave the info to. The information is way too close to what she said to me for someone else thinking the same thing. It just doesn't work that way."

"Can you do me a favor?"

"Anything..." she says.

"Get a hold of that reporter that took the sources quotes. Tell them you want a name. You want to know who the source is because slander against you is not going to be tolerated and this firm will file a lawsuit and win. Tell them you will own that magazine. I will talk to them if you get them on the phone."

"I will try, if not you can talk to them."

"Tracey." She turns to look back at me, "I believe you. Don't worry about this."

"Thank you."

            She leaves the room and I feel the pit in my stomach begin to deepen. Could any of this be true? Could he really be having an ongoing sexual relationship with someone else? Could it be someone I work with? Could it all be happening right underneath my nose and not have seen it?

            I trusted him with every fiber of my being. I never imagine him having the time to have another relationship. However there are days I don't see him, there are times he is in a different city. He is in NYC right now. What is he doing there without me? I pick up the phone and I call him

"Hey babe. How is your day going?" He answers the phone.

"Not so good."

"Anything I can help you with?"

‘Actually, I can't even believe I'm going to ask you this but... I can't stop thinking about it."

"Ask me anything." His tone was sincere. He had nothing to hide.

"Are you sleeping with someone other than me?"

He got super quiet. The pit grew deeper. "Emily, I'm in a relationship with you. I'm engaged to you. Where is this coming from?"

"I needed to verify reports, that's all." I was trying to convince myself that it was all it was.

"Rumors?" He asked, as if he could believe I was asking this question.

"Yes. The report says you were sleeping with a co-worker of mine and you slept with my assistant."

"Tracey?"

"Yes."

"Em, I haven't seen anyone else since the day I left the hospital, hell I haven't been with someone else since days before the accident.  I haven't even seen or spoken to Jessica since that day she left the hospital and I released that statement. You believe me don't you?"

"I do, you just think twice about everything when news like that is put in your face."

"I have made mistakes, I can't say that I haven't but since I have been with you I have been faithful. I promise you that."

"I believe you. I trust you. I just needed to hear it straight from you."

"I will be home in a couple days. I love you."

"I love you to. Be safe."

            I trusted him, I really did. This was a situation that I was sure we would go through at least once. His name sells magazines; his name attracts people to their websites. I just didn't expect the pit in my stomach to be like this. I knew how things worked in this industry. I should have been able to prevent myself from something like this.

            Alone in my apartment that night I can't seem to stop thinking about the idea of him cheating on me. I stare at that ring for hours. I had placed two separate phone calls to him and have yet to hear back from him. If I found out that he did cheat what would I do? The logical part of me would walk away without even thinking twice, but my heart is saying the opposite.

I have rarely talked to Lexie since I got home from Memphis. She doesn't approve of this engagement at all. She thinks I'm making a huge mistake. I guess I won't win in this situation with her so I'm simply avoiding it right now. I knew if I went to her with these concerns she would just throw it at me and tell me she was right all along.

Could the reason he asked me to marry him be that he had something to hide and this was a way to keep my mind off of the possibility that there was someone else? Why couldn't I just accept that it was a rumor? Did a part of me think that there was some truth behind it? I was driving myself crazy thinking of all the possibilities of our relationship.

            I didn't sleep very well last night and when I got to the office in the morning I realized it was going to be a hectic day. These rumors are fueling the fire and I had to deal with them as his PR and not his fiancé. Fighting back the tears was a challenge. The worst thing of all was having Justin four thousand miles away.

Tracey did have some good news for me though. The reporter has agreed to meet with me this morning. He was waiting in my office when I got there at seven thirty in the morning.

"Prompt and early. I like that." I reached out to shake the hand of the reporter, "Emily Clarkson"

"Miles James. It's nice to finally meet you." He extended his hand to shake mine.

"Well Miles, I guess we have a lot to discuss."

"I guess I should start by saying that the magazine was sure that they had a source for the story before we ran it."

"I understand that and I also understand that you are just doing your job, which you need to realize that I'm doing my job as well. No matter what my relationship is with Justin, he is my client." I was already annoyed by him.

"I understand." He says. "So are you confirming that he is your fiancé?"

I roll my eyes at him and laugh. "Ha.  You should really know by now that I won't comment on something like that."

"Yes... Yes I do. I had to try though. Normally people don't get this kind of meeting from you."

"So are you going to tell me who this source was?" I bluntly asked.

"You know I can't do that Ms. Clarkson."

"So you are saying that yourself and In Touch wouldn't mind if this agency files this defamation of character lawsuit against you on the side of Tracey?" I drop and slide a stack of papers towards him.

He looks stunned, "I... I..."

"Cat got your tongue Mr. James? Were you not expecting a lawsuit so soon?"

"I can't reveal sources. You know that." He tried to defend himself.

"Just give me a name and the lawsuit will disappear. My lawyer is waiting on the phone call this morning to process this through the courts. So this is up to you. The ball is your court now."

"I'm not here to give you a name." he said sarcastically.

"Well then why are you here? Why are you wasting my time? Did you think that by coming in here you would have dish for another story because honey I will give you nothing."

Defensively he snaps at me, "My boss said I had to at least attend this meeting."

"Well... now you can go back and tell you boss that a lawsuit for twenty million dollars will be filed this morning. The ball was totally in your court, and well I'm sorry but its back in mine..." His face drops as my intercom buzzes. "Emily, the lawyer is on line two." Tracey's voice echoes on my phone.

I pick up the phone, "Emily Clarkson" all he hears is a one sided conversation. "I'm still in this meeting but it looks like we are going through with it... There was no deal reached... I will call you this afternoon with more details... let me know what the judge says..."

            I no sooner than hang up the phone and he is trying to make a deal. I think he realized I was serious. I wasn't going to let Tracey be blamed for something she had nothing to do with.

"Give me one hour Emily. I need to discuss this with my boss and I will let you know what he says."

"One hour Miles, not a second longer. I have a lot to get done today."

            Fifty eight minutes later I get an email from Miles. There were only two words on the email, but it was all I needed.

Nicole Cunningham.

            My jaw dropped. I selected print, save, and forward. I knew it was her but I didn't have the proof. Now, I had all I needed in the palm of my hands to terminate her. And I was going to. I think I just had the conversation with her in a meeting full of people telling her to do something like this and they were gone. Well, it's over for her now.

            I typed a termination letter and walked into Mr. Daniels office.

"Hi, I need you to sign this copy of the termination."

"So it really was her?" he says with a sigh. "When I got the email from you I wasn't surprised, I almost expected it to be her. But she was warned. Now, it looks like we need to hire another agent."

"Already done, I have the perfect person. Just find me an amazing trustworthy assistant."

"Tracey?" he asks.

"Yes." I said with a smile on my face.

"Perfect. Do you what you have to do Ms. Clarkson." I turned to walk out of his office. "Emily..."
"Yes"

"Congratulations on the engagement."

With a slight blushed face, " Thanks."

            I couldn't help but have a smile on my face. I had been waiting for this moment, the moment when I get to do this. I walked into Nicole's office, it was full of people chattering about what they were going to do in the upcoming weekend. As I step in the room it gets super quiet.

Nicole looks up at me, "Is there something I can help you with Emily?"

I chuckle, ‘Why yes there is. You can pack everything that belongs to you in this office and you can head down to human resources, they are waiting for you to sign release papers."

She gives me a dirty look. "Release papers? What are you talking about?"

"As of this afternoon, you are no longer employed at this company. Please gather you things and leave as soon as possible."

She snaps her head around, "What the fuck is going on?"

"Do not speak to me like that in this office." I urged.

"This is not your office."

"This isn't your office either." I lay the termination letter onto her desk.

"What is going on?" She is catching on now that I was serious.

"I warned you about involving yourself with my clients."

"What?" She was putting on a good game face, but it was already over for her.

"Being a source for In Touch magazine has hopefully made you enough money to last for a while because you will not work for another agency in this town."

"I don't know what you are talking about."

I was fed up with her lies. "Nicole this is over. You are caught. Be the adult and pack up your things and leave. Security will be here in a half hour to make sure you are off the premises."

She was still in shock that she was caught. "You can't do this. I will have your job for this one."

"Nicole you can say whatever you want to me, about me, whatever you want but at the end of the day you will never be me. You will never have my job. You will never have my fiancé."

She chuckles. "I have already had your fiancé."

What did she just say? Keep a straight face Emily, you can do this.

"Twenty three minutes is all you have left. You should pack quickly."