Never Judge

"Veronica went looking for us today. Why do you keep letting yourself be a villain in her eyes?" Cedric asked Ram who was playing with one of Cedric's books.

"You know I'm even more powerless than her. I'm not of the blood. My very appointment in Lights and Abad TV is already a big issue among the elders." Ram told Cedric. ​​

"Veronica doesn't know you're adopted?" Cedric asked Ram.

Ram grimly nodded.

"I've done what I can by delaying her marriage and making sure it's to someone she might like. She's had her whole childhood to try and like Miguel. He's honestly a better option than the man our parents wanted." Ram told Cedric.

"When will they be transferring full shares to you?" Cedric asked his friend.

"Probably when Veronica marries and I am married. It's their only way of making me cooperate." Ram told his friend.

"And if you leave?" Cedric asked.

"Then they pile it all up on Veronica. They know that if I leave, Eric leaves, and so do most of our partnerships. You know I wouldn't do this for just money." Ram explained.

"I know. You can ask Miguel to delay it on his end, but I know the Chan elders are also getting fidgety about this union as well." Cedric advised Ram.

"We all have our problems I guess." Ram said with a shrug. "I need to leave. I have to be at the live airing of the episode. They want me more in the eye of the public."

As Ram left Cedric recalled the day he found out Ram was adopted.

They were 12 at the time and for some reason their drivers had arrived late to fetch them. They sat quietly on a bench as if deep in thought, they looked too serious for their age.

"Ram, I'm going to leave in a couple of years." Cedric started.

"Like studying abroad?" Ram asked.

"Nah. My family has this thing called poverty training, I'm basically gonna be forgotten. I can come back every year on Christmas though." Cerdic told Ram.

"I guess we all have our own problems. I'm not really my parent's child. They said I was adopted. Anna is though." Ram told Cedric.

The two boys then sat in silence and waited for their drivers to fetch them.

After Ram left Cedric decided to open up the laptop containing all information on the Reyes Group, it was updated weekly, so whatever he read today would have the latest information. He was eventually going to run the whole thing, so it was best that he kept track of it starting now.

When the maid called him for dinner he placed aside the laptop and went to call Adrianna. She was sleeping soundly on the bed, Cedric sat next to her and combed away the stray hair covering her face. He smiled and kissed her gently, waking her up.

"Is it dinner time?" Adrianna asked.

"Yeah. Our parents are downstairs and I already told them about the feature tonight. We can all watch it together." Cedric said as Adrianna got up.

At the dining room the family all watched the feature together. Charles and Gracia were beaming with pride when Adrianna came up.

"I hope my brother is watching this." Gracia said with a grin.

"Mom, it's no big deal. Look, even Ayanna is part of that list." Adrianna pointed out.

"Adrianna, your mom is just proud. We're proud of you too! Now there are two women in the family that are in the list. Even if people don't know it, at least we do." Priscilla said with a gentle smile.

"Adrianna, your mother in law and I got you a gift. Cedric told us you didn't like anything flashy. Here you go son, why not put it on Adrianna." Emilio said as he handed Cedric a blue velvet box.

Cedric took it and went behind Adrianna to put a simple gold chain with a blue gem as a pendant.

"This is a blue diamond we asked the Laurence family to find for us. It was mined here in this very country and is over a century old. We hope you like it." Priscilla explained with a smile.

Adrianna and the rest of the Hernandez family were shocked, the Reyeses extended so much kindness to them even if they were not of the same blood.

The next day, Adrianna went to the office as usual, as she arrived the employees were quick to congratulate her. Not only was the 30 women under 30 feature seen on TV, but it was also on social media so it was quite difficult to not be informed about Adrianna making it on that list.

Before lunch Matthew Hernandez called Adrianna to his office.

"Adrianna you are amazing! You made it on the top ten during your first time on the list. Congratulations." Her uncle Matthew praised.

"Thanks uncle, it's really a credit to everyone in Island's Inc. not just me." Adrianna said.

"Ah, if only you were married to someone more powerful. I bet you would place higher. Imagine how the Reyes Heir's wife would place!" Her uncle exclaimed.

"Uncle, all the women on that list are there because of their own skills! Not because of whom they married." Adrianna scolded her elder.

"Adrianna, you aren't a child anymore. Didn't you notice that the top women on that list all come from extremely influential families? If you aren't born lucky then you must marry well. You of course are an exception. Despite marrying poor you've still managed to make the list!" Uncle Matthew said further infuriating Adrianna.

"Uncle, I thought you were better than them. My worth isn't determined by the family I'm born into or the man I marry." Adrianna said walking out.

As she left she got a call from her friend Julia Tiu.

"Congratulations Adrianna! I saw the feature. Why don't we go out to shop and celebrate?" Julia asked over the phone.

"Sure. Let me just finish things up here in the office. Where do you want to go?" Adrianna asked.

"We can go shopping at Pris Mall, then let's party at Hype Bar!" Julia suggested.

"Okay." Adrianna said excitedly.

Adrianna sent a quick message to Cedric telling him about her plans before finishing up and going out with Julia, Sofia, and Natasha.