US Weekly published an exclusive yesterday about Ben Affleck’s affair with former nanny Christine Ouzounian, scooping PEOPLE Magazine. PEOPLE followed shortly after with a strong denial from Ben Affleck; his rep claimed that they were considering legal options. Sure. But in that same post, PEOPLE goes on to reiterate their earlier report from a couple of weeks ago from a source who claimed that Ben hadn’t been “committed” to the marriage. That’s soft speak for cheating. So, instead of completely shutting down a rival magazine’s story and siding with the celebrity, celebrity-friendly PEOPLE Magazine left themselves a backdoor. That’s as good an indication as any that they too were prepared to explore the possibility that this nanny scandal might be legit.

And they did. Because early Wednesday night, PEOPLE posted a follow-up to their initial nanny assessment, and they too found sources who were able to corroborate US Weekly’s report. Pause there and let that sit in. US Weekly is PEOPLE’s rival. And PEOPLE found their own insiders to back up US Weekly’s claim. How does that look for Ben Affleck?

According to PEOPLE – and they stress that they’ve heard from multiple sources – Christine told her friends that she was “having an affair” with Ben Affleck and that she was in love with him. The sources tell PEOPLE that it started shortly after she started working for him and Jennifer Garner and that they would get down at the Hotel Bel Air. A friend of Christine says that Christine showed off pictures of her with Ben on her phone, sitting on his lap, and they’re kissing. Christine thought she and Ben were “in a relationship”.

When Ben flew to the Bahamas at the end of June – a trip timed with the announcement of the divorce – Christine was apparently with him. They supposedly left from there, together, to head to Vegas for a charity poker tournament. And that Jen found out about their affair before she left herself, with the kids, to go to Atlanta to start working on Miracles From Heaven.

Needless to say, sources for Team Ben insist it’s all bullsh-t and that the only connection Ben shared with Christine was "a work relationship and a friendship. There has never been a romantic or sexual relationship." Team Ben also denies that Christine ruined the marriage:

"This was not one of the reasons for the breakup," says the source close to Affleck. "There was no affair during or after [their marriage]. Ben and Jen have been separated for months."

Right. I think I’ve already written at length about that alleged 10 month separation we keep hearing about but just for kicks, click here and click here for refreshers on why that doesn’t seem plausible.

So…

A lawsuit?

He better come with this lawsuit and soon. Because if Christine Ouzounian isn’t the one doing the leaking, it sounds like her friends are. I mean she’s 28 years old, from California. She exists in the Instagram sweetspot. They all live on social media. And now one of them is in love with him?

You. F-cking. Idiot.

Can you imagine? As I wrote yesterday, can you imagine if we get an Andie from Gone Girl happening here?

And what’s Jennifer Garner’s part in all of this, if she has a part at all? Many of you emailed yesterday, along the lines of, “Not that it’s her fault, but why are you hiring a hot nanny???”

I can tell you that half of Hollywood, the rich and pretty half, is asking the same question. It’s an unwritten rule among LA wives that you make sure your child care isn’t a temptation. More on this later.

Here’s Christine getting papped recently.