Never Judge

"This was yesterday?" Cedric asked his son in a very concerned voice.

"Yes daddy, while you were at the hospital." Emilio said with a nod. 

Cedric tried to read his son's expression, he was waiting for Emilio to show that he was scared or at least that he didn't like Aiden, but Emilio was just smiling.

"Emilio, was this man, this uncle Aiden nice to you?" Cedric asked, he was worried that Aiden was trying to turn his son against him. How was he even able to get into the compound, Cedric had already heightened the security.

"Yes," Emilio said with a nod as he continued to smile. "He said he was daddy's friend. He even offered to give me a lollipop, but daddy told me not to accept food from strangers, so I said no."

"Emilio! I also told you not to talk to strangers!" Cedric said angrily as he shouted at the little boy. He was starting to lose his temper, if Aiden could make it inside the Reyes Compound without him detecting, how much damage more could that man cause.

"Cedric." Camilla said in a soft tone as she nudged her head towards Emilio's direction. Cedric's son was now hugging Dave's leg and hiding behind the assistant.

"Emilio," Cedric said in a stern tone. "Come here." He ordered.

"Cedric!" Ian scolded as he watched Emilio step away from his father. "You are scaring your son, and quite honestly you are worrying us too."

Cedric sighed and walked over to his son, as Cedric approached Emilio took another step back as he hid fully behind Dave's legs.

Dave looked at his boss with an awkward expression, as much as he didn't want to stand in between his boss and his son, Dave loved Emilio like a little brother. He wanted to protect the kid even from his extremely powerful father.

"It's okay." Cedric said to Dave as he nodded, telling his assistant that he understood. 

Dave let out a sigh of relief as he placed a hand on Emilio's head, patting it gently. He knew Emilio was scared, he also knew that Cedric was only worried about his son. Who wouldn't be when Aiden Ortiz was involved.

"Emilio." Cedric said with a sigh as he once again crouched down to his son's level. "Dad's just worried, I was afraid that Adien would hurt you."

"Uncle Aiden was nice, dad!" Emilio said, defending the man that had ordered the murder of his uncle and grandmother.

"Don't lose your temper." Ian said in a warning tone. He knew Cedric was about to get mad at his son's words, but what did a child know? Aiden was kind to him, he was in the compound, he never knew that the man was behind his grandma's death.

Cedric sighed as he stood up and walked away. He placed his palms against the wall and punched it hard, letting out his frustration.

"Mae, get Merrick in here now!" Cedric said in an angry tone. 

Mae didn't waste any time as she rushed out of the office to call the temporary head of security.

"Emilio," Dave said as he turned to face the child. "What else did Uncle Aiden tell you?" Dave asked, he was hoping that Emilio would be more cooperative if he thought Dave didn't have any issues with Aiden like Cedric did.

"Uncle Aiden told me not to tell." The child said with a frown.

"Yoyo, we need to be sure that Uncle Aiden is a good man." Dave said as he tried his best to explain it to the kid. "Please tell me what he said."

Dave watched as a look of hesitation crossed Emilio's face, he was surprised that Emilio would consider protecting a stranger over telling them the truth.

"Uncle Aiden said you didn't like him." Emilio said slowly as he hesitated.

"Not liking him is an understatement." Camilla said with a laugh, surprising everyone in the room.

Camilla walked over to Emilio and took his hand, she brought the little boy to the couch and helped him climb up on her lap.

"Yoyo, I know you like this new uncle of yours, but he is a very bad man." Camilla said, again surprising everyone else. They had expected her not to judge her brother so quickly, to try to digest why he had done those bad things, but it seemed Camilla had already made up her mind.

"How do you know auntie Camilla?" Emilio said as he looked up at ther with wide eyes.

"Because Aiden is my older brother, just like uncle Eric is uncle Miguel's older brother." Camilla explained as she combed the little boy's hair.

"Don't you love your older brother auntie?" Emilio suddenly asked. 

"I guess I did, I probably loved him a long time ago Yoyo," Camilla said with a frown, Cedric became worried, he knew how painful those memories were for Camilla. But she had chosen to open them up for Emilio. "You see Yoyo, my older brother did a lot of really bad things, bad and unforgivable things." 

"Did he hurt people?" Emilio suddenly asked, hitting the bullseye with his question.

"Yes Emilio, he hurt a lot of people, and people are still hurting because of him." Camilla told Emilio.

"Camilla. . ." Cedric started to say, but he didn't know what to say next, he was at a loss.

"It's okay Cedric." Camilla said with a weak smile.

"So Yoyo," Camilla said as she turned her attention back to the child on her lap. "Will you please tell us what my older brother told you? Can't you see your daddy is worried? If he is worried, imagine how much more worried your mom will be when she finds out."

A look of guilt quickly spread on Emilio's face as he realized that he would be worrying his parents. He was a very considerate child and loved seeing his mom and dad happy with him.

"Daddy, please don't tell mommy." Emilio begged his father as he once again tried to pull off his crying trick.

Cedric wanted to laugh at his son, this kid was quite ingenious. 

He walked over and sat next to Camilla and Emilio. Cedric placed a hand on his son's head and patted it gently. The little boy looked so innocent now compared to when he was answering Ian's question earlier. 

There were times even Cedric forgot that Emilio was only three, he hadn't even started going to school yet. He was too mature for his age, too smart, and yet he didn't want to hold the child back, he was clearly meant for greater things.

Cedric let out a sigh and shook his head. 

"Of course Emilio, I won't tell your mom." Cedric promised his son. "I don't want to worry your mom either." 

Emilio smiled and launched himself to hug his dad.

"Okay daddy, I'll tell you everything uncle Aiden said." Emilio told them quite enthusiastically.