Never Judge

The backing of the Reyes Heir went a long way with the board of Saints Hospital, having someone that powerful on your side would definitely help and that was a piece of the pie that the board desperately wanted. 

As the meeting concluded several members of the board attempted to strike up a conversation with Cedric, but he quickly discouraged them by putting on a cold aura and simply giving one word answers or a simple nod. They quickly understood that he did not want to engage in small talk and scurried off in embarrassment. When all the board members finally left the room everyone let out a sigh of relief, the only people left were Nicole, Miguel, their parents Lucy and Raphael, Ian, Cedric, and Katerina.

Nicole quickly hugged Ian and buried her face in his chest. Cedric watched the touching scene and his mind was quickly drawn to think of what his wife would be doing now.

"Pregnant women really are so emotional." Cedric said with a laugh.

"You! Be nice if you want Ian to come back to working for you!" Nicole warned as she glared at Cedric.

"Do you still need my assistant? Or can we get back to work?" Cedric asked.

"You can take Ian, but I need Katerina." Nicole said as she placed her hands on her hips.

"Really Nic, you're choosing a woman over the father of your child." Ian teased as he pinched Nicole's cheeks.

"Don't play jealous. It doesn't suit you." Nicole said, rolling her eyes.

"Where's Eric?" Katerina asked, it was her boyfriend that called her over so she expected to see him at the meeting as well.

"Over here dear." Eric's voice came out from a speaker on the table.

"Do you really attend board meetings this way?" Cedric teased. 

"It's not good for my image to be seen going in and out of the hospital so often." Eric explained.

"Cedric, I just got an urgent call from the office." Ian whispered to Cedric.

"What's so urgent that needs me back?" Cedric asked, there was very little that Camilla couldn't handle on her own. Ian and Camilla were highly effective and were Cedric's left and right hands in all matters.

"It's the other thing." Ian told Cedric.

"There are several other things Ian." Cedric scolded.

"The one you asked me to investigate during the wedding." Ian explained.

"Well dramatic Chans, Ian and I have to go. Thank you for the entertainment today." Cedric teased as he left with Ian walking behind him.

"His real personality is so different from the one he projects." Katerina said with a laugh.

"We aren't dramatic!" Eric shouted over the phone making everyone laugh.

The news that the Reyes Heir was at Saints Hospital spread quickly, many news agencies sent their photographers and gossip columnists over to hopefully catch a glimpse of the elusive man. In the recent months the Reyes Heir had become a hot topic and was practically a celebrity in his own right. 

As they walked out of the lobby Cedric was surprised by the flashes of the cameras, his bodyguards were quick to jump into action helping Cedric get into his car. 

When they were finally settled Cedric took off his facemask. 

"What was so urgent that you had to drag me out? Don't you want to spend more time with Nicole?" Cedric asked Ian.

"There is movement in the house." Ian told Cedric.

"My dad's spare house? I didn't hear about mom leaving today." Cedric said as he tried to recall if there were any issues at Clarin Industries. 

As if on cue Cedric's phone began to ring, it was his mom, Priscilla Clarin - Reyes.

"Mom?" Cedric asked.

"Hey hun, I just heard you were mobbed outside of Saints. Your Auntie Lucy called to tell me that you had helped Nicole and Ian earlier." Priscilla Reyes told her son in a proud tone. Cedric simled, he had spent many years away from his parents and having a relative speak to him so happily was something he often craved for.

"It wasn't a big deal mom, I'm more than willing to help my friends." Cedric said tenderly to his mother.

"I'm happy you turned out to be such a good man. I was worried that you would be, well, severely affected by your poverty training and hate us for going through it." Priscilla told her son. Cedric smiled, his poverty training was not pleasant, he had to endure a lot of hardships and adjusting after was quite difficult. He still wasn't used to the power and responsibility he currently had, even the fame still made him very uncomfortable.

"It wasn't a walk in the park mom, but at the end of the day, I'm still your son, and any child of yours is a good one." Cedric praised.

"Anyway, that's not why I called. I have to go to the head office again, I'm leaving tomorrow. So I would very much appreciate it if we could have a family dinner tonight." Priscilla Reyes said in a hopeful tone.

"Of course I can make it mom." Cedric said in a livelier tone.

"Great, I'll have the chef cook all of your favorites and it's the perfect time since Ray and Ayanna are leaving for their honeymoon at the end of the week." Priscilla Reyes said excitedly. 

"I'll see you at home mom." Cedric said tenderly as he dropped the call.

"I guess that explains why the house is being prepared." Cedric said with a sigh.

"Cedric, I know you don't want to accept it, but maybe you should confront your dad and let your mom know." Ian advised.

Cedric remained quite for a while as they drove back to the office.

"What if it's not a mistress?" Cedric asked. 

"Cedric, uncle's actions lead to that conclusion." Ian told Cedric. Cedric looked at him and sighed. Ian was right, all the evidence pointed to a mistress.

"I just find it so hard to believe. My parents were not an arranged marriage, they weren't married too young, and they had a long healthy relationship before tying the knot. How could things end up like this?" Cedric asked. 

"Ced, you know as well as I do that sometimes people just fall out of love." Ian said with a shrug.

"Still Ian, I don't want to jump into conclusions." Cedric said with a sigh. "There is no evidence solid Ian." 

"What do you mean by no evidence Cedric? Your father is visiting a woman in secret in a house he kept a secret. Even the timing of his visits are very suspicious." Ian reminded Cedric.

"Until I see him in the act or hear it from him, I will not believe that my dad is having an affair." Cedric said, shaking his head. "If it is true I don't know what it will do to mom, she loves him so much, he is her world."