Never Judge

"Selina." Aleix said in a tender tone.

"Wow, I've never heard you say Jen's name like that." Cedric said in surprise.

"I don't know. I'm confused." Alexi said, shaking his head. "Long ago I thought I fell in love at first sight. Then she rejected me, so I became angry and broken again. Then I fall in love, but this time with her ex-best friend and ex-lover. What is wrong with me?"

Cedric felt bad for Alexi, but then again he couldn't help but laugh at the man. If people knew that the playboy Alexander Sebastian was currently lamenting about the rejection he received from a woman he loved they would be shocked.

"There isn't anything wrong with you." Cedric said with a sigh as he took a seat on the couch. 

Alexi followed him and sat across. 

"Love is difficult." Cedric said. "If you ask me why I love Adrianna I don't know how to answer you. I love her for her. I love everything about her. I know that's how you felt about Selina, don't even try denying it." Cedric said, shaking his head.

"Who told you?" Alexi asked with a glare.

"I guessed. And Katerina let it slip." Cedric said with a laugh.

"What do I do?" Alexi said, shaking his head.

"You regret not having a shot with Selina?" Cedric asked.

Alexi nodded with a frown. "I also regret how I've been treating her." He added. "The thing is, I believe Jen, I mean I should believe Jen.Right?" 

"Do you?" Cedric asked.

"Not entirely." Alexi said looking down at his feet. "I can't seem to trust her unconditionally."

"Why not speak to Selina? You heard her truth, ask her about it." Cedric urged.

"She hates me. And what will I tell my girl - no my fiance?" Alexi's worry was clear in the tone of his voice. 

"The truth." Cedric said with a shrug. "If she loves you and trusts you, she will understand. You need this Alexi. You need to be sure. Marriage isn't a simple matter."

"And what if she leaves?" Alexi asked.

"Then maybe, she isn't the one for you." Cedric said.

"I chased her for years Cedric. Can I just throw those years away?" Alexi asked.

"If you don't you'll end up suffering for the rest of your life." Cedric reminded his friend.

Alexi remained silent for a while, he just sat on the couch, looking at the ground, keeping his thoughts to himself. 

Cedric respected his need to think things through. Cedric sat on the couch across Alexi for at least five minutes before walking back to his desk and getting to work. He reviewed a few proposals and signed some documents. 

After a while Alexi suddenly sat up, catching Cedric's attention.

"Have you decided what to do?" Cedric asked as he placed his pen down and gave his full attention to his friend.

"I have." Alexi said with a nod.

"Good luck then, I wish you the best." Cedric said with a smile as he returned his attention back to his work. 

"Won't you ask what I have decided to do?" Alexi asked as he walked over to Cedric's desk.

"I don't need to. It doesn't matter to me. It matters to you." Cedric said with a sigh. "I'm sure whichever action you chose to take is for the best. This way you won't regret anything because you sat down and thought about it. You didn't suddenly jump into it like your engagement."

"We're the same age and yet you seem wiser than me." Alexi said with a laugh.

"Must be the poverty training." Cedric said with a shrug.

"Thank you." Alexi said with a smile.

Cedric simply nodded at his friend.

Alexi then walked out of his office, Cedric could feel Alexi's new found confidence in himself and in his decision. 

Cedric gathered the documents on his desk and walked out to hand it over to Mae.

He found his assistant handing his son a piece of candy. Emilio was so happy that he hugged his auntie Mae and kept thanking her. Cedric wished he could keep Emilio at that age, he knew that eventually his son would have to learn the ropes and his days of fun and games would be over.

"Daddy! Daddy!" Emilio said as he spotted his father.

"Sir, you should have just called me. No need to take the documents out yourself." Mae said as she walked over with Emilio, taking the documents out of Cedric's arms.

"It's no bother Mae." Cedric said with a laugh. "I used to work as an assistant too. I understand how much work you guys actually have to do."

"Thank you sir." Mae said as she brought the documents to her desk.

"Yoyo!" A familiar voice suddenly called out from the elevator.

"Auntie Nat!" Emilio said as he suddenly ran over to Natalia.

"Oh Yoyo! Did you miss me?" Natalia asked as she caught the running boy.

"Yes auntie! I missed you this much." Emilio said as he stretched his arms.

"You're here early." Cedric said as he walked over to Natalia. 

"I escaped the fitting as soon as I was done. I hate those things." Natalia grumbled.

"And here I thought all girls loved fashion." Cedirc said with a laugh.

"I would rather be in my lab rather than in Maureen's workshop." Natalia said, rolling her eyes at Cedric.

"Your brother was here." Cedric told Natailia.

"Let me guess. Jen issues?" Natalia asked rhetorically. "It's always Jen. Either he is over the moon with her or he is confused by her. I have no idea what that woman slipped into his drink but my brother is obsessed with her. I'm not even surprised he proposed, I'm shocked she accepted." Natalia said, shaking her head.

"Partly her, partly someone else." Cedric said, shocking Natalia.

"I hope that someone else is Selina." She said with a guilty giggle. "He looks at her differently."

"You mean with anger?" Cedric asked. 

"No, he always looks lost and confused whenever she's around." Natalia said with a sigh. "Anyway, here are the videos you asked for." Natalia said as she handed Cedric a paper bag. 

"Thanks, this is perfect."  Cedric said with a smile.

"No problem. I knew you would ask for it again. Now let me play with Yoyo!" Natalia said as she hugged the little boy. "By the way, who is this genius you found? Can he do better than my guy?" 

As if on cue the elevator opened behind Natalia.

"What are you doing here?" Aldofo suddenly asked as he looked at Natalia in shock.