Never Judge

"Katerina, the Reyes Group and I are constantly being sued." Cedric pointed out a fact that his lawyer should know well enough. He couldn't help but wonder if Katerina was truly so overworked that it was meddling with her mind too now.

Katerina rolled her eyes at Cedric.

"Obviously I know that, I'm your lawyer for crying out loud." She scolded. "Do you think I would be alarmed if it were just the normal charges raised against you?"

The men were left speechless by Katerina's scolding, in less than five minutes she had managed to scold her fiance, her older brother, and her boss.

"Look, it's the missing employees, I got notice from the courts today." Katerina said as she handed Cedric the folded document that had been addressed to her office.

Cedric took it and read through it.

Obviously Katerina knew more about these things, but she was aware that Cedric liked reading through them as well.

He frowned as he recognized the three names identified as the employees filing a case against him.

They were the same employees they had been searching for, it seemed things were too late.

As angry as he wanted to be about the turn of events, he couldn't blame them, he understood their desire to protect their families.

"What will be our next step?" Cedric asked Katerina as he handed her back the document. "I don't want my employees to suffer."

"You're way too kind." Alexi told Cedric as he poured himself a glass of wine from Cedric's collection on the side.

"Just because I have a heart, unlike you, doesn't mean I'm too kind." Cedric pointed out to his friend. "They had their reasons and they lacked both the tools and opportunity to do otherwise."

"I can see if they are open to negotiations." Katerina suggested. "I doubt it will work, but it will allow us to assess the situation and it might be able to help us come up with a plan on how to save them."

Cedric nodded. With these matters he usually allowed Katerina free reign. She knew legal matters best and he found it unnecessary to meddle.

"I'm not coming home tonight." Katerina told Eric, clearly still mad at him and her brother.

"Where will you stay?" Eric asked Katerina as he crossed his arms on his chest.

"I think I want to spend some time with your sister and sister-in-law." Katerina told Eric.

"Where?" Eric asked her. Cedric could see that the man felt truly defeated.

"Mountain View. Nicole is staying there for her safety, it was either Mountain View or Ian would have her place surrounded with guards." Katerina told Eric as she turned around and left.

"I'll make sure she doesn't overwork herself." Cedric told his friend as Katerina slammed the door behind her.

"Thank you." Eric said as he gave Cedric a sad smile as he continued to stare at the door.

"We all reacted that way at first, even I went overboard when Adrianna told me she was pregnant with Yoyo." Cedric said as he tried to comfort Eric. "I can just imagine how bad Alexi will be when Selina gets pregnant."

"Nothing is set in stone." Alexi was quick to comment.

"Are you saying you don't plan on marrying Selina? I know you already asked Ray to look for a stone for her engagement ring." Cedric said as he grinned at Alexi.

"You weren't supposed to know that, Ray that traitor." Alexi hissed.

"Relax, it was Ayanna, she heard him calling Tony." Cedric chuckled.

"Does everyone know now?" Alexi complained.

"Nah, Ayanna wouldn't tell anyone else." Cedric smiled at his friend. "Now will you please both go so that I can work?"

Eric got up and dragged Alexi out of Cedric's office allowing him to continue with his day.

Cedric hadn't realized how much work he had managed to neglect over the past few days.

Each department that met with him had a hundred things that needed his attention. He knew that everyone else did their best to step up and limit what needed his approval, but still there were items that were too important not to discuss with him.

By the time the day ended, Cedric had already moved around his schedule in the hopes that meeting with his employees more often would help ease things.

"Long day?" Ayanna said as she entered her brother's office.

"Quite." He said with a smile.

"Shouldn't you be on Kashmere with your newborn children and your wife?" Ayanna asked as she sat down across Cedric.

"Something urgent came up. We were thrown a new curve ball." Cedric simply answered. He didn't want his pregnant sister worrying too much.

"Cedric, I hope you aren't forgetting that you are a father and husband as well." Ayanna said with a concerned look on her face.

"Don't worry, Ayanna. I'm trying my best." Cedric gave his sister a smile as he checked if there was anything he had missed out.

"Are you joining Ray for dinner tonight?" She asked.

"I am, I'm guessing you won't be joining us?" Cedric asked her. He knew that Ray wanted to keep her as far away from that world as possible. Ray rarely involved his wife unless it was absolutely necessary.

"No, I'll be there. As a matter of fact Ray just texted telling me to remind you about dinner." She told Cedric.

"Oh." Cedric said as he began to pack his things up. If Ray needed Ayanna there, it meant that there was some negotiation he needed through the wives.

"Don't worry, it will be fine." Ayanna said, thinking that her brother was worried for her safety.

"I know, I just can't help but wonder why Ray would need you there." Cedric told his sister.

"I'm sure it's nothing." She said as she got up to leave. "I'll see you in a bit, Ray's already downstairs."

With that, Ayanna left her brother alone in his office, wondering if part of their plan had not fallen through.