Never Judge

"Nicole, what is your brother talking about?" Lucy Ang - Chan asked Nicole as she grabbed her daughter's arm.

"Miguel." Eric groaned as he glared at his brother. 

"Mom, dad, I'm pregnant." Nicole said slowly. 

Lucy Chan covered her mouth in shock. 

"WHAT!?" Raphael Chan said as he suddenly stood up from his seat.

"Nicole this is not a funny joke." Lucy Chan said with a stern tone.

Nicole fished something out from her pocket and handed it to her mother.

Lucy Chan read through the results and covered her mouth as she read the results.

"How did you get this test done without me finding out?" Lucy Chan asked her daughter, waving the results in the air. 

"Mom, I'm the VP of Saints, do you really think I can't convince them to keep my test a secret from you?" Nicole asked as she placed her hand on her waist.

"Who is the father?" Raphael Chan said as he approached his daughter.

Miguel and Eric had moved forward as well just in case their parents did something drastic against their sister. The brothers knew how traditional their family was and how they would not take Nicole's situation lightly.

At a table, Cedric was pulling down on Ian's arm. 

"Don't interfere. Nicole wouldn't want that." Cedric warned as he looked at his friend and assistant.

"Shouldn't he defend her?" Adrianna asked as she cradled her son who was waking up. 

"Nicole's mind works differently. We'll know when she needs Ian." Cedric explained.

"I can't just let the mother of my child stand alone." Ian said in a low voice.

"She isn't alone Ian, Miguel and Eric are with her." Cedric pointed out.

"She wouldn't be put on the spot if it weren't for Miguel. And it should be me protecting her." Ian told Cedric.

"Don't tell me you got knocked up by some one night stand?" Lucy Chan asked her daughter as she threw a worried look. 

"Mom, dad, the man is reliable, that's all you need to know." Miguel said quickly. "Sister, do you want to tell our parents about the father?" Miguel asked, he knew Nicole had planned on telling them it was Ian but he had messed up her plans.

"Nicole, how could you? You know how important your reputation is, especially in business." Raphael Chan told his daughter. Ian, who was seated, saw the worry in Raphael Chan's face. He had heard about how traditional the Chan family was, but it seemed that he was more worried about how Nicole would stand after. Despite the world being more progressive, a woman's reputation was still important. 

"Dad, I'm happy and I love this man." Nicole's emotions were all over the place. Her pregnancy was messing around with her emotions, she was beginning to tear up.

As Nicole said she loved him Ian wanted to jump up and hold her in his arms. It was the first time either of them publicly announced their love. 

"Nicole, what if this man is not good for you?" Lucy Chan asked. "We are only after what is best for you." 

"Mom, he is a good man." Eric said, defending Ian.

"We need to confirm that for ourselves." Raphael Chan told his son.

"Raphael, maybe you should trust your children on this." Priscilla Reyes said, defending the Chan siblings. She had always been a supporter being more open to love. 

"And what if the man cannot take care of my daughter?" Raphael asked. "Nicole is not some ordinary woman! What if the man will not value her!"

"I will value her! I love her!" Ian was not able to stop himself, he did not want Nicole's parents thinking he would leave her just because she was pregnant. 

Cedric who had been trying to stop Ian from doing something stupid sighed and placed his head in his hands. Why did Ian have to act so impulsively? Nicole would be furious at this man once they were alone.

"Not an issue then.�� Lucy Chan said with a shrug. "Just get married so that the child can have a proper family."

"Yes and after the wedding we can announce to everyone that you are married and expecting." Raphael Chan said with a nod.

"Uncle, Aunt, I am more than willing to marry Nicole." Ian said as he came up behind Nicole and held her by the waist. "I will do anything for her."

"Then it's settled, you can get your wedding license as soon as possible." Raphael Chan told the couple.

"Wow this is amazing! Mom and dad are willing to accept Ian, Nicole!" Miguel said happily.

"I am not getting married." Nicole said in a low voice.

"What babe?" Ian asked Nicole as he kissed the side of her head. 

"I said I won't get married!" Nicole said in a louder, more stern voice.

"Nicole, why? I thought you loved Ian?" Lucy Chan asked her daughter. "Don't you want to marry him?"

"Of course I want to marry him! I love Ian." Nicole said as she leaned against him.

"Then why won't you get married?" Ian asked.

"Nicole, isn't this what you wanted?" Lucy Chan asked her daughter.

"I won't have you dictating my life." Nicole crossed her arms in protest. "I love Ian but we haven't been together that long so I want to get to know him better." 

"Nic, this is our chance." Ian massaged her hand in an attempt to convince her to agree.

"No Ian. I don't want my life dictated, and I don't want my family dictating yours." Nicole said with tearful eyes. She faced her parents and spoke. "Mom, Dad, I know what you and the rest of the elders will do. I know they won't see Ian as worthy. I know how you all are, you'll make him quit his job and come over to Saints. You'll trap him within our own company so that you can dictate how he acts and how much he earns."

"Nicole, mom and dad are just worried about you." Lucy Chan said in a tender voice.

"No." Nicole said. She looked up at Ian and pulled him as they ran away.

"Why does my sister have to be over dramatic?" Eric said, rolling his eyes.