With a degree in television journalism I got a street reporter job in a small market. Luck put me on the morning anchor desk and weekend late night anchor. A scout for a larger market saw me and I was invited to join the team for the four, five and six a.m. anchor. That's where I was when I was spotted by a local business leader, he had the station manager arrange for me to MC a charity fund raiser he supported. I had just turned 26.

I never thought about myself being pretty but he did and he pressed the station manager to get me a fashion consultant and a screen consultant. With the consultants dressing me and fixing me up and the station manager encouraged by my off-screen admirer I was promoted to the six and ten o'clock news desk. I was the youngest by a mile to ever anchor the news in prime time in that market.

Life got complicated when I was 'instructed' to attend a function with my admirer, I found myself alone in a hotel room with him and I found out what the price was for my career. During his attentions I was dry mouthed and teary eyed. But I said nothing and kept silent. I am 28, a year and a half later, I am an anchor for an affiliated station in one of the top five markets. I don't date, at least my dates are secret, I live in a building and my apartment and his have a stairway between floors. We meet at functions, but we never go together, his room is hardly ever used, except when I am out of town. He wants me to wear 'the ring' on air, but not talk about it.

I am not suggesting the whole affair is secret, it is from the public but not in private. Many people know whose house I keep. I guess wearing the ring on air will send out a definitive message that I am promised. He gave my career, now he wants something more. My career is my life, he wants me to walk away and make him my life.