Ex-McDonald's CEO Steve Easterbrook had an office relationship with a consultant

Ex-McDonald's CEO Steve Easterbrook – who was exhausted earlier this month for having an affair with an employee – had a romantic relationship with another woman who worked for the fast-food kitchen, according to a new report.

Easterbrook, 52, dates PR staff member Denise Paleothodoros when he became CEO in 2015, The Wall Street Journal reported. Paleothodoros, 46, worked for Golin, an adviser to the fast-food giant at the time, and worked at the McDonald's account.

She informed the company about the relationship when Easterbrook became CEO, and she was removed from the account to "avoid any conflict of interest," Golin told the newspaper. McDonald's also signed the relationship.

"Steve and I were in a relationship, and it ended in a while ago," said Paleothodoros, now Golin's CEO. The couple dated for about two years, the magazine reported and citing sources.

The father-of-three was divorced from his wife when he began at McDonald's. The couple have since divorced.

Easterbrook's shooting was revealed earlier this month after McDonald's believed he violated the company's policy by agreeing with a female employee. He admitted the abuse in an apology to the staff.

The McDonald's board hired a law firm in New York City to conduct an external investigation of the relationship three weeks ago, according to The Journal.

Easterbrook agreed to a settlement Oct. 31[ads1] and was fired the following day, the paper reported.