Never Judge

News about the fall of the fatal five spread like wildfire. Everyone was shocked to hear that hours after meeting with the Reyes Group all five companies had closed down.

At Mountain View, Cedric sat at the backyard bar with Miguel as he grinned ear to ear.

"Aren't you glad I live here? You have a drinking buddy." Miguel teased his friend.

"When is Veronica going to finish your house?" Cedric complained.

"You're the one that keeps giving her projects! First you gave her your tech hub project, then Ayanna gave her the Elisia Malls project, then yesterday some prince in Saudi Arabia called asking her to fly over and talk about his new palace. How can she build our house when she's being called by a price! A freaking prince!" Miguel said, clearly venting his frustration that a prince had called his wife over to a different country. Veronica was set to leave in a week after she presented the Elisia Malls project design.

"Just go with her. If you're so insecure." Cedric said as he looked at the drink in his glass. Miguel had always been the type to complain first and act later, the upside being he always acted.

"I will. I made Ray threaten her that she couldn't get on a plane if I weren't there with her." Miguel proudly said.

"Ram has his own plane." Cedric said, pointing out the loophole Miguel had missed. 

"She won't go to him. That's the Abad plane." Miguel said confidently.

"If you say so." Cedric said with a shrug. "I never got to thank you for what you did with Carissa. So thanks."

"It's nothing. It's my grandparent's fault anyway, who knew that telling them the truth and taking care of her grandparents and parents would be enough to get her to turn on Martin." Miguel told Cedric. It came as a shock to Cedric that when Eric, Miguel, and Nicole apologized to Carissa, she ended up breaking down into tears. They had actually been prepared to force the information out of Carissa. It seemed he had misunderstood her from the start.

"It feels great to finally settle the problem with the syndicate and move on with my grudges! Revenge is amazing!" Cedric laughed as he emptied out his glass and poured a new one.

"Speaking of revenge, will you let me have mine now?" Miguel asked.

"Of course. Ayanna's already working on one part, you go handle the rest." Cedric grinned at his friend. Miguel was truly willing to step outside of his comfort zone just for the woman he loved.

"Great! I'll start tomorrow. I don't have any operations for at least a week. Well, at least until the next difficult emergency rolls into Saints." Miguel said as he got up and began to leave. "Night Ced! Good luck on your other grudges."

"Good luck in getting into your wife's bed!" Cedric teased.

Miguel shook his head as he went back to the guest house. He had been chasing Veronica for over a decade now, but he still remembered the moment he realized he loved her.

It was a sunny day, Miguel was sixteen and Veronica or Anna as she was called at that time was thirteen, he had just come back from America where he just started taking up medicine. As usual, Anna began to bully him the moment he arrived back in the country, forcing him to accompany her everywhere and buy things for her. He, of course as always, did as she wanted, and that's when he realized that the only thing he was after was to see her smile.

"Why are you just standing there like an idiot?" Veronica's question pulled Miguel back from his daydream. He hadn't realized that she was in the kitchen getting a glass of water. 

"Nothing much." Miguel suddenly pulled Veronica into his arms. He was immediately met with a slap on his face making him wrap his arms tighter around her.

"Let go! We aren't that intimate yet!" Veronica shouted.

"Kiss me and I'll let you go." Miguel teased.

"Stop with your tricks." Veronica said, fighting back.

"Just one kiss, V." Miguel winked.

"Fine." Veronica said. Miguel noticed she seemed tired since she chose not to argue back.

Miguel took advantage of her surrender and kissed her passionately on the lips. He then suddenly lifted her bridal style making Veronica wrap her arms around his neck.

"Put me down!" Veronica complained.

"You're tired, wifey. Let me carry you back to our room." Miguel whispered into Veronica's ear.

Miguel took her up to their room and gently placed Veronica on the bed. Afterwards, he turned around and went to take a bath.

By the time he was done, his little woman was fast asleep and shivering. He got her an extra blanket and placed it on her. As he looked at her, he noticed how peaceful and harmless she looked in her sleep, a vast difference from how feisty she was when awake.

He recalled how much she had gone through and how little he could do to help when she was in trouble.

Miguel had just passed the board exam and had gotten his license as a doctor, he decided to return home and continue his career through Saints Hospital. At nineteen, he had spent most of his life studying and trying to meet the expectations of both his parents and the board of Saints Hospitals. He didn't even have time to date, what was the use, he only wanted one woman anyway, the woman he fell in love with from the very start. 

Miguel had made it a point to come home at least once every three months, he would stay for a week or two then fly back to America to continue his studies. One time, he was surprised to see Ram picking him up at the airport, he was already suspicious as his friend approached.

"Did you send my car away?" Miguel asked as he greeted Ram.

"Let's get in the car first." Ram had a grim aura around him as he signaled for a bodyguard to pick up Miguel's things. People around them were already craning their necks when they saw the fancy car and the bodyguards.