Never Judge

"What the fuck is going on?!" Cedric shouted at Mae, making the woman take a step back.

She had been expecting his anger, but she didn't realize how scary Cedric could actually be when he was furious. She immediately forgot that he was even acting, he was so convincing that Adrianna placed a hand on his shoulder to calm him.

To everyone's surprise, Cedric shrugged off his wife's hand, something very uncharacteristic of him.

"That will not help." Cedric hissed at his wife. "Go to my sister. She will need a woman with her."

Adrianna frowned and glared at her husband.

The couple was acting so well that people truly believed that Cedric Reyes was finally showing his true colors.

People raised their cameras as they continued to record the scene that was playing out in public. Not one of them considered to question if it were all an act.

Many people sought to find a flaw when it came to the Reyes Family that they were very eager to spread news of Cedric acting up in public.

Little did they know that this was exactly how Cedric wanted them to react.

He wanted to drive his stock prices lower in order to get the Rajas to trust Ian more. They were almost at their goal, they just needed to hold on a little longer.

"I'll go ahead." Adrianna said with a frown as she turned and left Cedric, followed by her own security detail that kept the bystanders at arms length from her.

Just as Adrianna was about to enter the elevator, Cedric spotted a man launching himself at Adrianna. 𝗳𝘳𝒆𝘦𝑤𝐞𝚋𝗻𝚘𝘷𝘦𝙡.𝑐𝐨𝘮

"Leon!" Cedric shouted as the bodyguards were quick to react, tackling the man to the ground.

"Find out what happened here." Cedric hissed, his temper gone. He was calm as usual as he placed an arm around Adrianna's shoulder and ushered her into the elevator, leaving his men to deal with the attacker.

On an island, away from the drama at Saints Hospital.

Ian sat on his private island as his guests started to arrive. He had just gotten an update from

Mae that Ayana had successfully delivered a healthy baby boy.

That had been his trigger to leave and to enact the second part of their plan, pretending to take down the Reyes Group.

"That little kid will be a headache to the king of the underworld." Ian chuckled as he thought of how Cedric was sure to spoil his little nephew.

It didn't help that the newly born prince of the underworld would be coming from the two most powerful and influential families in the country. His godparents were also quite intimidating, Ian being one of them.

Ian's phone began to ring, much to his surprise. Everyone who knew that particular number knew not to call right now. 𝙛r𝚎𝐞𝑤𝚎𝗯𝗻𝗼𝐯e𝚕.𝒄𝐨𝓂

He lifted it and noticed Cedric's name on the screen.

"Yes?" Ian asked as he made sure the door to his room was closed. He couldn't risk one of the Rajas hearing his conversation with Cedric.

"Did you make it out alright?" Cedric asked in a friendly tone.

"I did, I'm on the island now. How is Ayanna?" Ian asked, concerned about his best friend's sister.

"She's doing well! Her little boy looks so much like Ray, but of course he has black hair just like his mom's none of that lighter shade coming from the Laurences." Cedric was excited to speak to his friend.

After all the tension from earlier he needed to speak to Ian. He needed to remind himself that it was all an act.

"What's his name?" Ian asked Cedric as he leaned back and relaxed. He was happy to speak to his old friend once more. He needed a friend right now.

"Aldrich, Aldrich aurence, little prince of the underworld that's going to be a headache to everyone." Cedric chuckled as he thought of the little boy.

"If the girls went crazy over his father, they will be worse when it comes to the son." Ian teased as he thought of all the children growing up together.

He sighed and shook his head.

He knew that they were still young and had a long way to go, but he also knew how fast time went by.

Just a few years ago the only thing in his mind was to get revenge on those people that had harmed him and his family. Now he was a father of two, happily married to a woman who was still unaware, and he had gotten almost everything he was after.

"I'm glad you called." Ian said with a sigh as he walked over to a window and spotted his guests walking up to his mansion on the island. "I'm anxious about our plans."

"It won't fail." Cedric said with a new found determination.

"Watch over my wife and kids, please." Ian told Cedric as he frowned at the thought of being separated from them for so long.

They didn't know how long this mission would take. It could be over in a matter of days or weeks, but he knew he needed to end the Rajas. It wasn't for him, it was for his children and their children someday.

"You'll be back sooner than you know." Cedric said as he did his best to give his friend courage. "But I'm not saving you from your wife when she finds out what you've done."

"Well, I'd rather have her angry as my legal wife rather than angry and not." Ian teased back.

"Right, I called for another reason." Cedric said as his tone turned serious.

"What is it?" Ian asked as he sat back down.

"There seems to be a few individuals that want to mess up our plans. There was an attempt on Adrianna's life earlier today at the hospital. Do you think it could be your Uncle William?" Cedric asked Ian.

Ian was silent for a moment as he considered the possibility, but would his Uncle William be that reckless.

"I can't be sure. I'll try to find out later. I need to go, they've arrived and I can only delay for so long." He told Cedric as he bid his friend goodbye and dropped the call.

Ian soon got up, fixed himself, and glanced at a mirror making sure that he had the proper expression on when he faced the Rajas.

When he was satisfied, he took a deep breath and walked out of his room, ready to meet the rest of the group.