Kim Kardashian Cuts Ties with Longtime Assistant Stephanie Shepherd: "They Aren't Really Speaking"

Anyone who follows Kim Kardashian on social media knows how close she is to her assistant/friend Stephanie Shepherd. The pair are seemingly inseparable, and even go on vacation together:

However, recent reports claim that Kim has severed professional ties with Shepherd, and that they're not exactly in touch. "Kim made a decision to let Stephanie go," a source tells People. "She was a good assistant but when Stephanie wanted to transition into a larger role with Kim's brand and businesses, it just didn’t work. Kim gave her the chance but after a short period of time it became clear that Stephanie just didn’t have the knowledge to take on a role like that. Kim made an executive decision to part ways."

The source says that Shepherd is still friends with Kim's sisters, but that she and the reality star "aren’t really speaking."

Shepherd has been working for Kim since 2013, when she became an assistant shortly before North's birth. She's since become an integral part of the Kardashian squad, and is close friends with Kourtney Kardashian. In fact, Kourtney told Kim that Shepherd was unfulfilled in her job during a recent episode of Keeping Up with the Kardashians, and Kim responded, "But I do think it’s like inappropriate for her to talk to you and not to me. I mean don’t you think that’s like a little bit unprofessional?"