Never Judge

Nicole sat casually in her office as she watched Katerina storm in angrily. 

"I can't believe my brother is still into her." Katerina said angrily as she sat on Nicole's couch. 

"I assume we are still speaking about Jen?" Nicole asked without lifting her head. It wasn't the first time that Katerina stormed into her home or office because she couldn't stand her elder brother's girlfriend.

"Yes, of course Jen!" Katerina said angrily.

"What is it this time? Didn't you have her investigated already, didn't it come out clean?" Nicole asked as she placed her documents aside, it was already the end of the day and she had little work left to do. It seemed Katerina had come straight from a court hearing based on the way she was dressed.

"I did, yes it was clean, but I still don't understand why Jen would lie about her history with Selina. The girl is freaking innocent!" Katerina asked angrily.

"Maybe it was because of love. Maybe she misunderstood Selina's actions?" Nicole asked as she collected her bag. "Dinner?" Nicole offered, she knew her friend needed to vent.

"Okay. Drag the other girls along?" Katerina asked. 

"Sure. Let me just call Ian to tell him I'm having dinner with you guys tonight." Nicole said with a nod. 

"I'll just repeat my story when they arrive. How does the rooftop of Maharlika sound?" Katerina asked.

"How is it possible for you to book that place so often?" Nicole asked.

"Oh, tonight it was supposed to be booked for Alexi and Jen, but Jen bailed on him." Katerina said with a shrug. "I was going to invite Eric, but I can't deal with him right now." Katerina said in a frustrated tone as she typed on her phone.

"What did my brother do this time?" Nicole asked as she held her phone to her ear. "Oh wait. Hi Ian, I'm having dinner out with the girls tonight. Bye, love you." Nicole quickly said.

"Wow that was fast." Katerina teased. "You're really not gonna give him the opportunity to say no?"

"He can handle Trisan tonight." Nicole said with a shrug as they walked out of her office. "So what's your issue with you know who?"

"The settling down and having kids issue again." Katerina groaned. "Did he come over to your house again?" 

"He did. Cedric brought Emilio over." Nicole said, making Katerina sigh.

"I'm just not ready and I don't think he is ready to give up his career either. I don't know why he keeps pressing the issue." Katerina complained. "He wants to get married but if we get married how will his fans react?"

"I don't think my brother has ever cared about his fans." Nicole explained. "I'll see you at Maharlika?" Nicole asked as she spotted Katerina's car parked at the side of the hospital entrance while her driver waited with her car out front.

Katerina nodded and walked over to her parked car. On most days Katerina drove herself around even if she had a family assigned driver, she enjoyed driving, it made her feel like she was free from all the expectations people had placed on her shoulders.

She sighed as she started the car, why was it that she could be nice to Selina Ramirez and not to Jen Pelaez. Jen was the one her brother loved, and Jen had never done anything to harm them, she was nice and respectful all the time.

Katerina decided to push the thoughts away from her mind as she drove from Saints Hospital to Maharlika Hotel, when she arrived a valet quickly came up and took her keys. They knew her here, like they knew her in most of the high end establishments, it was their job to recognize the plates on her car, she was after all the president's daughter and it couldn't hurt to stay on her good side.

"What's up with your driving?" Nicole asked as she came up beside her friend.

"I just have stuff on my mind." Katerina said with a sigh. 

"You gave my driver a fright, we weren't in a rush and yet you were driving like your life depended on it! Be careful next time." Nicole scolded.

"Wow, you guys got here fast." Veronica called out from behind them.

"Katerina drove fast. Scold her." Nicole told Veronica.

"She always drives fast, what's wrong with that?" Veronica asked.

"It's dangerous!" Nicole said as she turned her back on her friends and walked into the hotel.

"What's wrong?" Veronica asked as she reached out and grabbed Katerina's arm.

"I'll tell you later." Katerina said with a frown on her face. 

Saints Hospital was at the opposite end of the city from Maharlika Hotel, so it was no surprise to Katerina that she and Nicole were the last to arrive.

She had invited her sister Natalia, Ayanna, Adrianna, Francesca, Veronica, and of course Nicole. Natalia was already having a lively discussion with Ayanna, while Adrianna and Francesa were speaking on the side.

"So what's up with the council meeting?" Ayanna teased as she saw the three girls arrive.

"Jen." Natalia said with a sigh. She wasn't too happy with the girl her brother was dating, but her feelings weren't so intense as Katerina's.

"Jen again?" Francesca asked as she carried a worried look.

"I just can't seem to feel good or happy about her." Katerina complained as she took a seat next to Francesca.

"What is it this time?" Adrianna asked. 

"I just feel so uneasy about her. I don't understand why she had to lie about how Selina Ramirez broke her heart when there was nothing between them." Katerina complained. "She says Selina led her on, but I've asked everyone around them at the time and no one ever recalls Selina and Jen being a couple. As a matter of fact, one of Jen's classmates even recalls a drunk Jen asking Selina to be her girlfriend, do you know what Selina said?" Katerina asked.

The other girls simply looked at her and waited for her response.

"Selina said, Jen for the hundredth time I only love you as a friend. And yet based on Jen's stories Selina made her feel like she had a chance. How could you have a chance when you've been rejected so many times like that?" Katerina asked, her frustration evident in her tone. "Plus there is around three years of Jen's life I can't seem to find. It was the three years between Selina sending her away and her meeting Alexi." 

"Sister, I don't like her either, but what can we do? Alexi loves her. Would you let someone separate you and Eric?" Natalia asked with a concerned look on her face.

"I don't want to turn into those crazy sisters that you hear about online that can't accept their sister-in-laws because of their background. I really don't care if Jen was poor or from a family like ours, I just want to be sure that she has Alexi's best interest at heart." Katerina said with a sigh.

"Have you spoken to Selina?" Veronica suddenly asks.

"No. Well I brought it up once, but Selina won't talk about it." Katerina explained.

"Then let's call her over." Francesca said with a grin as she held her phone to her ear.