Never Judge

"Fuck." Miguel hissed as he entered his office, throwing down an envelope on his desk.

Cedric and Adrianna, along with his assistants, had been led there by Jo Meneses, Cedric's friend, who was Miguel's head nurse. 

Cedric looked at Jo with a raised eyebrow, hoping the nurse knew why Miguel was so furious. 

"Got the full results?" Jo asked Miguel with a concerned look in his eyes.

Miguel nodded as he collapsed onto his office chair.

"What that child has gone through, it's wrong." Miguel said with a sigh, shaking his head.

"So the physical abuse from the other students has been going on for a long time?" Cedric asked Miguel as he comforted his clearly distraught wife.

He knew that hearing the child had been physically abused worried Adrianna. She couldn't help but imagine it happening to Yoyo if they had sent him to that school. 

"Most of his injuries couldn't have been inflicted by children." Miguel said with a sigh, shaking his head. "Based on what we could see, the injuries are at least two to three years old."

"That means, ever since he was brought under the school's care." Cedric said with a sigh. Clearly an adult at the school was abusing the child.

"I'm sorry, Dave." Miguel said as he looked at the assistant.

"About what?" Dave asked with a confused expression.

"I know you, Selina, and Helios all studied there, but that place is not a place for children." Miguel said with a frown. "The irony, a school not for children."

"It isn't a place for anyone." Dave said, shaking his head. "They abused someone, regardless if it's a child or not, abuse is wrong." 

Cedric nodded as he continued to comfort Adrianna. With each new piece of information Miguel had said, he could feel Adrianna tense up.

"Adri." Cedric said as he tried to comfort her.

"I'm fine." Adrianna said, shaking her head. "I just can't imagine a child going through something like that."

"I'm having the school investigated." Cedric informed Miguel and Jo. "Dave is handling it."

"Don't worry, I'll be unbiased." Dave said, quick to quell any doubts. "I never really like that school." Dave said with a shrug.

"What do you plan to do with the kid?" Miguel asked Cedric, it seemed he was genuinely concerned about the little boy.

"I want him to heal first, then we can start talking to him." Cedric informed Miguel.

"Do you want me to get my brother to speak to him? You know all that therapy stuff." Miguel suggested. 

"I think doing therapy with Eric Chan might shock the child." Cedric said with a laugh. "But do you think Eric could suggest someone?" 

"I'll give him a call." Miguel said with a nod.

"Why don't we try introducing him to Yoyo?" Adrianna suggested.

"Maybe when he is ready." Cedric said with a nod. "Some of his tormentors were children as well, he might not be willing to interact with Yoyo, and he might get scared."

"Alright." Adrianna said with a nod as she continued to frown.

"We really need to talk to him. We need to know who his legal guardian is and how we can change that." Cedric informed Dave. "I don't want anyone from that school trying to get the child. Have Leon set up a security detail around the hospital and outside his room." 

Dave nodded as he waited for Cedric to let him go and carry out his orders. Cedric nodded and Dave made sure to do as he asked.

"Even if you take out his legal guardian, someone needs to be responsible for the child." Jo explained to his friend.

"Then I can be his legal guardian." Cedric said with a shrug as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

"You can't be serious?" Miguel asked as he leaned forward.

"I am." Cedric said in a stern tone. "I don't see what's wrong with me being the boy's legal guardian."

"You are Cedric Reyes, you can't just jump into decisions like that!" Miguel said in a loud voice.

"Have you suddenly gone stupid or something Miguel?" Cedric asked in a calm tone. "Have those Chan elders somewhat gotten into your head? So what if I'm the head of the Reyes Clan, if I wanted to even go as far as adopt the boy, I could. There is nothing wrong with that." 

"Sorry, it's just they've heard about my Uncle Miguel's son probably having survived and there are talks of putting him at the helm of the family." Miguel said, shaking his head. "You know how sexist they can get."

"How is Nicole handling all of this?" Cedric asked, looking at Ian who had followed to the hospital. 

"Not well." Ian said, shaking his head. "They keep saying either hand the position as head of the family to her brothers, or get married." 

"Doesn't she want to marry you?" Cedric said with a laugh.

"You know why she won't now." Ian replied, rolling his eyes at Cedric.

"Why do the Chans have to be so old fashioned?" Cedric grumbled. "Can't they see other families are surviving, despite their choice to adapt."

"Having a female at the helm is just too much for them." Miguel said with a shrug. "Even your family has passed on that position through the male line."

"Just because my Aunt Aurora chose to." Cedric said with a shrug. "Had she wanted to, Marie would be in this position, not me."

"Yeah, Marie, then you again since your cousin has chosen not to marry. Despite the obvious attraction between her and Ray's cousin." Miguel said with a laugh.

"I keep forgetting that he is Auntie Amy's nephew." Cedric said with a laugh.

"Will you really adopt the child if there is no one else that would take him?" Miguel asked Cedric with a sigh.

"I wouldn't adopt him because it was a last resort." Cedric said, shaking his head. "I would adopt him because I'm concerned about the child and if Adrianna lets me."

"Of course I would be fine with adopting him, but if he doesn't want to, let's not push the boy." Adrianna said to her husband.

"We don't even know the kids name." Jo said with a laugh.

"It's Dominic." Dave said as he entered the room. "Dominic Sta. Maria. I arranged for everything. The child's guardianship needs to be transferred to someone."

"Transfer it to me." Cedric said decisively with a nod.

"Well, it looks like he's up." Miguel said as he placed down his phone. "Shall we visit Dominic?"