Never Judge

The drive to the hospital was a silent one. Cedric held the sleeping Emilio while his driver took them to Saints Hospital, Ayanna and Ray brought their own car, and Emilio Reyes rode in his own. 

Cedric had arranged for security to be heightened around them, he had no idea what information Aiden already had. Jen had stayed with their family for so long that a lot of confidential information had been said around her.

​​

Add to that the fact that Jen had worked with the Chans for a few years, she was a threat that Cedric couldn\'t wait to be dealt with.

"Daddy?" Emilio asked as he stirred on this father\'s lap.

"Yes Yoyo?" Cedric asked tenderly. He normally didn\'t address his son with the pet name his wife and friends often used. He liked his son\'s name just fine. He thought it was a good name.

"Daddy, you didn\'t leave me." His son said as he hugged his father.

"Of course not." Cedric said as he patted his son on the head.

"Sir, there is an obstruction ahead." Cedric\'s driver informed him as they neared an accident on the road.

"Stay cautious." Cedric ordered. "Leon, have the men check it out first." Cedric ordered Leon who was seated in the front seat.

Leon was a step ahead of him as Cedric noticed some members of his security team, clearing a path for them among the busy cars. 

Normally, Cedric would not like the special treatment, but today was an exception. There was a genuinely dangerous threat against them and he needed to get to his mother.

As the last of their cars passed the accident Cedric heard an explosion go off. Emilio began to cry in his father\'s arms, the trauma of what had happened to him combined with the explosion clearly shook the little boy.

"I\'ve had someone look into it." Leon said from the front seat. He knew Cedric would want to know what had happened and to help the victims of the blast.

"Thank you." Cedric said with a nod as they zoomed through the city. It was clear that the accident was meant to trap them and cause more harm. 

Cedric took out his phone and called Alexi. 

"I thought Aiden wouldn\'t have a grudge against the Reyes Family, but it seems like he is targeting us too." Cedric told Alexi over the phone. "When you have Jen there, extract the information from her." 

"Okay, got it." Alexi said, dropping the call.

Cedric then dialed Dave. 

His two assistants had been updated on the situation and were already working with Alexi to find Aiden.

"Boss." Dave said as he picked up the call. 

"Look into any interaction between the Aiden, his father, or the Ortiz family and the Reyes Family. He seems to be after us as well." Cedric said as he gave out instructions.

"Yes sir." Dave said as he awaited further orders.

"Has news of my mother\'s accident come out to the public?" Cedric asked Dave. He had been so focused on finding Aiden and on his mother\'s condition that he forgot to monitor the situation outside.

"Sir." Dave said with much hesitation.

"It has, hasn\'t it." Cedric said with a frown.

"The attack happened in a very public place. People are wondering why the Reyes Group hasn\'t made a statement." Dave explained.

"My mother is fighting for her life and they are asking for a statement?" Cedric said angrily, making the little boy in his arms cry again.

"Yoyo, I\'m sorry." Cedric apologized as he tried to calm his son back down. 

The little boy buried his head in his father\'s chest and hugged him. Cedric held his son tightly and returned his focus back to the call.

"I\'ll speak to my father and sister on this matter." Cedric said with a sigh. "Please deal with them for the moment Dave."

"Yes boss." Dave said. "Sir, there is another matter." 

"What?" Cedric asked, he wondered what it was this time. Didn\'t they have enough problems already.

"Another trailer of Jen\'s interview came out." Dave said.

"They are still airing that?" Cedric asked. "Of what concern is it to us?" He knew his assistant would not bring it up if it were not important.

"Sir, it seems she will be exposing your identity in this one." Dave informed Cedric.

"Find a way to take it down." Cedric ordered as he dropped the call. 

When they finally approached the hospital Cedric was greeted with a sight he did not expect. He had been so worried about his mom that he didn\'t think that the paparazzi and different media outlets would be there, waiting for them at the hospital.

"Sir, we can just circle around and find another way in." Leon suggested. He knew Cedric didn\'t want the world to see him just yet.

Cedric sighed and weighed his options. If Jen had already recorded the interview his identity would be out soon enough, but still, there was no guarantee that she said who he really was in that interview. It could have been cut in such a way so that audiences would tune into the show.

If he showed his face now he could be putting everyone in danger, but Aiden already showed that it wasn\'t beneath him to go after known contacts of the Reyes Family, he was even willing to kidnap a child.

Cedric took out his phone once again and called his wife.

"Ced." Adrianna\'s sweet voice called out making Cedric smile. Just hearing her comforted him.

"Adri, please remember that everything I do is for our sake, for our family\'s sake." Cedric told his wife over the phone.

"Ced, I\'ve always known that." Adrianna said tenderly. "Where is this coming from?" Adrianna asked.

"Jen may have divulged my identity to the public during her interview." Cedric explained. "The second part is coming out later."

"Cedric, it\'s not your fault." Adrianna said as she tried to explain that she understood the situation.

"I\'m in my car, outside Saint\'s. Yoyo is with me. Ayanna and dad are also here." Cedric told her.

"Your mom is conscious but in pain." Adrianna told her husband. "My parents are on their way as well. You know how close they have become." 

"Adri, please trust me." Cedric said with a sigh.

"I always will." Adrianna promised.

Cedric dropped the call and looked out the window, he knew that this was the last time he would just be him. After this, all eyes will be on his every movement.