We Were Meant To Be (Nemi)

Part 2

When Demi stepped into the backyard, all eyes turned to her, except Nick's. "Hey guys, what's up?" The only response she received was a simultaneous sigh from Phil and Nick's PR officer, Tony. Nick remained silent in his seat. "Why do I feel like the air out here is so heavy? Is everything okay?"

Phil and Tony exchanged glances, as if debating which of them should answer the question. Then it was Phil who spoke up. "Someone has filed a report accusing Nick of sexual harassment."

"What?!" Demi exclaimed.

Nick raised his gaze to his girlfriend, who had a shocked expression on her face. He was taken aback himself after knowing it from Phil. The news was appalling. He couldn't believe he would ever be caught in this kind of situation. For all he knew, he didn't do it. He never made any sexual advances toward anyone other than the one he was in a relationship with. He was completely aware that the situation could damage not only his reputation but also his career, or worse, end it.

Demi was overcome with emotion over what she just heard. She wasn't only shocked, but also disgusted by such an accusation. Her boyfriend was accused of sexual harassment. What the fuck is going on? She sat on one of the empty chairs, looking at the three men. "Can any of you explain to me what the fuck is happening here?"

Phil started, "We learned this morning that a former The Voice crew member has filed a sexual harassment complaint against Nick. According to the report, Nick made a few verbal and physical sexual advances toward her, including uninvited comments about her body and intentional hand caresses." The manager turned to Nick and continued, "She is also seeking compensation for losing her job on the show, which, in her words, was Nick's fault because of 'the unfair treatment she has to face.' So we're here to get the real story so that we can handle the situation accordingly."

"Everything she said in the report is a lie. I only met her a few times during the recording of The Voice, and we only talked. I never made any sexual advances toward her or made any comments about her body or any intentional hand caresses, as she claimed. It was another way around. And she was fired because to an internal production issue, not because of me. So I'm not going to pay her a cent." Nick said it confidently, but his voice was laced with distress and anger.

"Hold on a second, gentlemen. That's a serious accusation. I need an explanation right now. I want to hear every single detail before I start to lose my patience." Demi fixed her gaze on the three men in front of her. Her tone was stern. She wanted to know the whole truth. No, she demanded the truth. She wanted to know what had happened.

Phil and Tony exchanged glances, feeling the tension in the air. It was a signal for them to leave and let the couple to talk privately. They should let Nick explain what happened on his own. Nick had already explained the situation to them, so their presence was no longer needed at that point. But honestly, they didn't want to be in the middle of the couple's discussion. Knowing Demi and Nick, Phil was well aware of how their discussion was going to be. So he would rather stay out of it. "I'm sure you two have a lot to talk about and it's going to be a long conversation, so it's best for me and Tony to leave."

"We will take this matter seriously, and I will discuss the next steps with my team. We'll do our best to find evidence to prove that the allegations are false. Once we have it, we can sue her for defamation and scandal-mongering. False reporting without evidence can itself be a serious criminal offense." The attorney said.

"Do whatever you need to do, man. I just want this to be over with. My reputation is on the line right now. I'm sure a few of the brands I've signed with will pull out once this news gets out. I honestly couldn't care less about how many contracts I will lose. I care more about protecting my family's name, and my reputation." Nick said. He was aware of that this scandal could bring his name into bad repute.